MASTER 
NEGA  TIVE 
NO.  91-80178 


MICROFILMED  1992 
COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES/NEW  YORK 


as  part  of  the  ^ 

"Foundations  of  Western  Civilization  Preservation  Project 


Funded  by  the 
NATIONAL  ENDOWMENT  FOR  THE  HUMANITIES 


Reproductions  may  not  be  made  without  permission  from 

Columbia  University  Library 


COPYRIGHT  STATEMENT 

The  copyright  law  of  the  United  States  ~  Title  17,  United 
States  Code  ~  concerns  the  making  of  photocopies  or  other 
reproductions  of  copyrighted  material... 

Columbia  University  Library  reserves  the  right  to  refuse  to 
accept  a  copy  order  if,  in  its  judgement,  fulfillment  of  the  order 
would  involve  violation  of  the  copyright  law. 


AUTHOR: 


ROMANOFF,  H.C. 


TITLE: 


SKETCHES  OF  THE 
RITES  AND  CUSTOMS 


PLACE: 


LONDON 


DA  TE : 


1869 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 
PRESERVATION  DEPARTMENT 

BIBLIOGRAPHIC  MICROFORM  TARGET 


Master  Negative  # 


f/'tio/zr-f. 


ft 


Original  Material  as  Filmed  -  Existing  Bibliographic  Record 


935.4 
R66 


Romanoff,   H  C 

Sketches  of  the  rites  and.  customs  of  the 
Greco-Russian  chxu'ch.     2d  ed.     London, 
Rivingtons,   1869. 

xiv,   412  p. 


1.  Orthodox  Eastern  church,  Russiein.  Liturgy 
and  ritual.   I.  Title. 


I 


Restrictions  on  Use: 


MC 


TECHNICAL  MICROFORM  DATA 


FILM     SIZE: 2IJ2n REDUCTION     RATIO: 

IMAGE  PLACEMENT:    lA  Cjl^    IB    IIB 

DATE     FILMED  :___1i52_::fi ^     INITIALS__^_P.CL 

HLMED  BY:    RESEARCH  PUBLICATIONS.  INC  WOODBRIDGE.  CT  " 


U\ 


^-*^^l 


r 


Association  for  information  and  Image  Management 

1100  Wayne  Avenue,  Suite  1100 
Silver  Spring,  Maryland  20910 

301/537-8202 


Centimeter 

1         2        3        4        5 

iiiiliiMliiiiliiMliiiiliiiiliiiiliiiiliiMhmliiiil 


TTT 


6 

iiliiii 


7        8        9 

iiliiiiltiiiliiiiliiiiliii 


n  I 


riT 


10       11 

iiiiliiiiliiiiliii 


TTT 


12       13 

iiliiiiliiiiliiii 


TTT 


14       15    mm 

iiliiiiliiii 


T 


Inches 


1.0 


I.I 


1.25 


m  III  2.8 

2.5 

III—  — 

it"    1— 

^        3.6 

2.2 

1^        ^ 

■  80 

4.0 

l££        111  = 

2.0 

l& 

li    ^ 

tiitmlS. 

1.8 

1.4 

1.6 

MfiNUFfiCTURED   TO   RUM   STflNDFIRDS 
BY   APPLIED   IMfiGE,    INC. 


,  ^r  •.t~.V'-«j»~«»«fW«ir««**#*'^«Sii!»S»»» 


ll 


' 


^V  *„  v!<i™r,.»„-4!S^*^.  ^^.^^W^^'^gm 


Columbia  tlnitersittp 

lnt!)e€ttpofItfa)gork 

THE  LIBRARIES 


i'S'K- . 


'  (^^ 


>»?£. 


jB*,'S 


I'Jk 


Letchxoorth.,   8  Jixtci^  1910 


Q.S 


^^  j^^^ 


^a.  ^3'i^y' 


5 

-f^ 


1^ 

»  , 


i 

« 


SKETCHES 


OF  THE 


GRECO-RUSSIAN  CHURCH 


< 


^.>. 


RIVINGTONS 


(Dxfurb 


•••        ••• 


Waterloo  Place 
High  Street 
Trinity  Street 


SKETCHES 


OF  THE 


+  Ricas  mxo  gojscojqs  + 


OF  THE 


GRECO-RUSSIAN    CHURCH 


BY 


H.   C.   ROMANOFF 


WITH   INTRODUCTION 

BY  THE  AUTHOR  OF  "THE  HEIR  OF  REDCLYFFEr 


*  youmeying  westward,  evermore. 

We  know  the  lonely  Spouse 
By  the  dear  mark  her  Saviour  bore. 

Traced  on  her  patient  brows" — Christian  Year. 


RIVINGTONS 

llonbon,  ®%Ux\i,  ant)  ^ambribge 

1869 

[Second  Edition\ 


CO 


^2  '^  )  ^ 


INTRODUCTION, 

T^HE  scenes  which  are  offered  to  the  pubh'c  in  the  follow- 
•*•  ing  chapters  are  intended  to  illustrate  the  actual  working 
of  the  Greco-Sclavonic  Church  in  Russia.  They  are  collected 
by  an  English  lady  married  to  a  Russian  officer,  and  stationed 
in  one  of  those  remote  provinces  which  have  no  attractions 
to  invite  the  tourist,  and  thus  are  scarcely  known  to  ordinary 
readers,  except  by  name,  while  the  national  habits  are  there 
best  preserved  in  their  full  peculiarity,  unaltered  by  foreign 
influences. 

In  the  memory  of  many  of  us,  the  Greek  Church  was 
almost  ignored.  There  were  numerous  persons  who  divided 
Christendom  into  Protestants  and  Roman  Catholics,  and 
supposed  all  the  former  to  hold  the  truth,  all  the  latter  to  be 
in  error,  and  if  the  existence  of  Eastern  Christians  was  pressed 
on  them  would  have  classed  them  as  a  more  ignorant  and 
debased  species  of  Roman  Catholics,  Clearer  knowledge 
has,  however,  dawned  on  us.  We  have  become  accustomed 
to  regard  foreign  communions  with  more  discrimination  and 


/ 


VI 


Introdtcction 


more  candour.  The  prayers  for  unity,  which  have  so  long 
been  repeated  with  the  most  vague  and  undefined  sense  of 
what  was  therein  asked,  seem  at  last  to  be  so  far  answered 
that  there  is  a  certain  heaving  and  moving  in  the  dissevered 
fragments,  almost  a  yearning  to  be  one  again,  and  even  a  few 
absolute  efforts  which,  though  as  yet  uncertain  and  spasmodic, 
may  yet,  under  God's  grace,  lead  to  something  more  definite 

and  authoritative. 

Looking  back  into  the  far  past,  we  see  that  the  germs  of 
separation  were  to  be  found  from  the  first  foundation  of  the 
Church.     Eastern  and  Western,  Greek  and  Latin,  differed  in 
constitution  and  prejudices  as  well  as  in  language,  and  tradi- 
tion and  custom  necessarily  diverged  the  more  as  time  went 
on.     The  sense  of  the  paramount  importance  of  unity,  to- 
gether with  the  large-minded  candour  of  the  primitive  Fathers, 
prevented  any  actual  schism  from  taking  place.     The  dispute 
respecting  the  time  of  keeping  Easter  was,  as  they  perceived, 
no  worthy  cause  for  casting  off  the  brethren  whose  hope 
was  in  the  same  Resurrection ;  and  while  essentials  remained 
the   same,   unchanged,   unbroken,   they   could  perceive   that 
small  modifications  of  ceremonies  to  suite  climate,  character, 
or  circumstance,  were  the  very  signs  of  the  Catholicity  of 
the  Church  in  distinction  to  the  exclusive  Jewish  ritual. 

United,  then,  the  Eastern  and  Western  Churches  resisted 
the  heathen  persecutions,  and  held  the  great  councils ;  nor 
was  it  till  days  of  greater  ease  and  laxity  that  the  minor 
differences  were  permitted  to  make  the  rent  that  had  so  long 
threatened.      Much  of  outer  circumstance   assisted  in  this 


Introduction 


vu 


result.  In  earlier  days  the  East  and  West  partook  of  almost 
similar  culture,  and  Greek  and  Latin  were  almost  equally 
familiar  to  the  educated.  The  Celtic  Church  of  Gaul  was 
planted  by  Asiatic  Greeks,  and  long  retained  traces  of  their 
influence;  and  whilst  the  Roman  Empire  was  unbroken, 
there  were  no  national  enmities  to  promote  misunder- 
standings. 

But  when  the  Latin  portion  of  the  Church  was  overrun  by 
the  Gothic  nations,  a  spirit  was  brought  in  far  more  alien  to 
the  Greek  than  what  had  gone  before.  The  subtlety  and 
timidity  of  the  Eastern  temperament  were  contemptible  to  the 
high-spirited  Frank  or  German,  and  when  the  majesty  of 
Rome  had  overawed  him  and  won  his  reverence,  he  made 
her  his  own,  but  fostered  her  impatience  of  the  rivalry  of 
Constantinople. 

A  clause,  true  in  itself,  but  introduced,  no  one  knew  how, 
into  the  Nicene,  or  rather  Constantinopolitan  symbol,  as 
repeated  in  the  West,  became  the  cause  of  fierce  debate,  and 
for  this,  after  nearly  ten  centuries  of  Oneness,  Rome  finally 
severed  herself  and  those  Churches  which  had  learnt  to  look 
to  her  as  their  guide. 

Many  endeavours  to  heal  the  wound  were  made,  but  their 
failure  was  owing  far  less  to  doctrinal  differences  than  to  the 
prejudices  and  hatreds  of  the  multitude  on  either  side.  The 
crusades,  which  might  have  been  a  grand  occasion  of  union, 
made  the  division  wider,  through  the  narrow  timid  policy  of 
Alexis  Comnenus,  the  ignorant  exclusiveness  and  avarice  of 
the  Franks,  and  the  aggression  of  the  Roman  patriarchate. 


VIU 


Introduction 


r 


Since  that  time  Rome  has  continued  to  exalt  herself  and 
maintain  those  pretensions  to  universal  dominion  and  in- 
fallibility which  alienated  the  Greeks,  and  have  hitherto  proved 
barriers  against  union  with  her. 

The  Russian  Church  is  a  child  of  the  Greek.  Her  con- 
version was  the  work  of  the  tenth  century,  and  was  accom- 
plished by  missionaries  from  Constantinople,  who  introduced 
the  Sclavonian  Liturgy,  and  a  translation  of  the  Scriptures 
drawn  up  in  the  ninth  century  by  Cyril  and  Methodius  for  the 
use  of  the  Bulgarians.  These  have  ever  since  been  scrupulously 
adhered  to  by  this  most  conservative  nation.  In  the  seven- 
teenth century  a  revision  took  place,  in  which  the  evident 
errors  of  copyists  were  corrected,  but  this  caused  the  utmost 
discontent,  and  occasioned  the  chief  schism  in  the  Russian 
Church,  since  a  certain  number  of  persons  refused  to  give  up 
the  old  corruptions  of  text  that  they  deemed  absolutely  holy. 
For  many  years  the  reproach  of  ignorance  and  superstition 
seems  justly  to  have  attached  to  the  Russian  clergy,  and 
though  there  were  many  saintly  men  among  them,  their 
cultivation  was  at  a  low  ebb,  and  they  were  left  behind  in 
that  rapid  march  of  intellect  which  has  proceeded  ever  since 
the  time  of  Peter  the  Great.  Their  power  over  the  people 
was,  however,  so  great,  that  Catherine  11.  was  forced  to  comply 
outwardly  with  every  rite  of  their  Church,  and  it  was  the  gay 
travellers  at  her  court  who,  perhaps,  chiefly  led  to  the  de- 
preciation of  the  religion  of  the  country. 

Since  that  time  education  and  civilization  have  much  im- 
proved the  intellects  of  the  clergy.     Many  are  really  learned 


Introduction 


IX 


(i 


men,    and    intelligence    is    fast    spreading    throughout    the 
people. 

What  their  religion  is,  and  how  it  is  carried  into  their  lives, 
will  best  be  gathered  from  the  ensuing  collection  of  sketches. 
Some,  as  will  be  seen,  are  accounts  of  the  rite  and  its  acces- 
sories, the  prayers,  &c.,  being  translated  from  the  Sclavonic 
offices ;  some  interweave  the  accounts  of  the  ceremonies  with 
tales  illustrative  of  that  middle-class  life  of  Russia,  which  is  so 
little  known  to  us.  It  is  a  picture  of  this  people  as  they  really 
are  in  both  family  and  religious  life,  and  though  here  and  there 
— as  in  the  reception  of  the  Princess  Dagmar — the  old  into- 
lerant Eastern  temper  shows  itself,  yet  on  the  whole  this  book 
will  show  us  that  we  have  more  in  common  with  the  Russian 
than  we  thought,  especially  in  the  really  needful  ordinances 
that  are  essential  to  the  very  existence  of  the  Christian. 

Some  of  these  chapters  are  upon  the  Sacraments  of  the 
Greek  Church,  the  two  divinely  ordained  and  "generally 
necessary  to  salvation,"  and  those  other  five  ordinances  which 
both  the  East  and  West  term  Sacraments,  and  four  of  which 
we  own  as  sacramental,  though  hesitating  to  class  them  with 
the  two  of  universal  application,  while  the  last  has  Scriptural 
authority  that  it  is  not  easy  to  explain  away.  The  other 
chapters  are  on  occasional  ceremonies,  the  consecration  of  a 
church,  of  a  bell,  a  Bishop's  visitation,  the  thanksgiving  cere- 
mony for  the  Tzar's  preservation,  &c.,  and  the  very  curious 
rite  for  the  adoption  of  a  child. 

We  cannot  help  hoping  that  these  descriptions  may  be 
found  of  value  to  those  who  are  not  capable  of  studying  the 


X  Introduction 

fundamental  doctrines  of  the  Greek  Church,  and  that  even 
those  scholars  who  can  examine  into  her  documents  may  be 
glad  to  have  this  opportunity  of  seeing  what  is  her  external 
work,  and  her  influence  among  the  people. 

C.  M.  YONGE. 


Jime  \st,  1868. 


PREFACE. 


IN  compiling  the  sketches  which  I  now  venture  to  offer  to 
the  public  in  a  collected  form,  I  have  had  two  ends 
constantly  in  view;  viz.  to  present  the  English  with  correct 
descriptions  of  the  ceremonies  of  the  Greco-Russian  Church, 
and  at  the  same  time  with  pictures  of  domestic  life  in  Russian 
homes,  especially  those  of  the  clergy  and  the  middle-class  of 
nobles.  I  trust  that  the  performance  of  the  latter  task  may 
be  found  as  correct  as  the  former,  on  strict  revision  and 
careful  comparison  with  the  Sclavonic  Ritual,  has  proved 
to  be. 

I  feel  bound  to  acknowledge  my  deep  obligations  to  the 
Reverend  Pastors  of  Christ's  flock  here,  to  whom  I  have 
occasionally  applied  for  explanation  or  information,  and  for 
the  great  assistance  that  the  admirable  little  books  of  the 
Rev.  B.  Michailoffsky  have  afforded  me.  The  greater  part 
of  the  explanations  of  symbols,  &c.,  I  have  obtained  from 
Bishop  Benjamin's  valuable  and  learned  book,  "  The  New 
Table  of  Covenants." 

H.  C.  R. 


April  1868. 


CONTENTS 


RomXn  the  Reader— 
Baptism 

Baptismal  Unction 
Consecration  of  a  Church 


PAGE 

67 

73 
82 


11. 


Confession  and  Communion    . 


114 


III. 


Ordination 


134 


IV. 


Marriage 


153 


V. 

Extreme  Unction,  Funeral  Services,  and  Requiems       .         212 


VI. 


Church  Bells    . 


252 


XIV 


Contents. 


VII. 


The  Fourth  of  April  . 


PAGE 
268 


VIII. 

Adult  Unction — 

The  Princess  Dagmar*s  Admission  to  the  Greco-Russian  Church 


297 


w> 


Adoption 


•  • 


•  • 


315 


X. 


A  Bishop's  Visitation  . 


Glossary  of  Russian  and  Sclavonic  Words 


392 


407 


SKETCHES 


OF  THE 


GRECO-RUSSIAN  CHURCH 


ROMAN  THE  READER 


CONTAINING 


BAPTISM,  BAPTISMAL  UNCTION,  CONSECRATION 

OF    A   CHURCH. 


CHAPTER  I. 

ROMAN'S  birth  caused  great  joy  to  his  parents,  who  had 
been  married  twenty  years  ere  they  were  blessed  with 

a  son. 

His  father  was  a  deacon,  in  a  considerable  village  not  far 
from  the  Siberian  tract  He  lived  in  a  wooden  house  of  his 
own,  mth  a  palisaded  garden  in  front,  if  that  may  be  called 
*  a  garden  which  was  but  a  narrow  slip  of  ground,  so  thickly 
planted  with  lilacs  and  raspberry  and  black-currant  bushes, 
that  at  the  time  the  fruit  was  ripe  there  was  scarcely  any 
possibiHty  of  getting  at  it.  The  dwelling  consisted  of  a  large 
lofty  kitchen,  a  bed-room,  and  a  parlour,  all  on  the  ground 
floor.  The  walls  were  not  lath  and  plastered,  there  were  no 
carpets  on  the  floors,  nor  curtains  at  the  windows ;  the  furni- 
ture consisted  of  a  birch-wood  sofa  and  a  dozen  chairs,  covered 
with  a  large-patterned  cotton  print,  a  table  before  the  sofa,  and 
two  smaller  ones  beneath  the  looking-glasses  in  the  piers; 


2  Roman  the  Reader 

besides  this  ordinary  furniture  there  was  a  psaltery,  on  which 
the  Deacon  used  to  perform  various  sacred  melodies  on  holi- 
day evenings.     The  corner  formed  by  the  two  windowed  walls 
was  hung  with  pictures  of  the  Saviour,  His  Mother,  the  patron 
saints  of  the  master  and  mistress  of  the  house,  and  of  the 
master's  deceased  parents;  some  with  silver  or  metallic  set- 
tings, others  in  the  rough   and  extra  pre-Raphaelitish  style 
called  Souzdalsky,  from  the  town  where  they  are  painted  by 
thousands.     The  other  walls  were  covered  with  portraits  of 
the  Imperial  Family,  and  a  few  sentimental  engravings  from 
English  annuals,  with  English  titles  that  nobody  in  the  village 
could  read,  and  no  one  even  knew  where  they  were  originally 
picked  up ;  they  were  the  parting  gift  of  one  of  the  many 
stanovoys^  that  had  ruled  at  Elenovka. 

The  bed-room  contained  only  one  bed  properly  so  called ; 
the  bedding  of  the  children  (who  slept  on  large  pieces  of  thick 
felt,  spread  at  night  on  the  parlour  floor,  with  pillows  in  cotton- 
print  cases,  and  patchwork  quilted  counterpanes),  was  stowed 
away  under  the  bedstead  during  the  day.     The  kitchen  was 
like  all  Russian  peasant  homes;  the  whole  house  was  scru- 
pulously  clean  and  neat;  a  faint  smell,  reminding  one  of 
incense,  wax,  and  church  oil,  pervaded  the  place,  and  pro- 
ceeded from  the  clothing,  long  hair,  and  person  in  general  of 
the  Deacon,  a  quiet,  sober,  thrifty  man ;  not  very  bright,  but 
well-intentioned,  and  faithful  in  the  performance  of  his  duties. 
When  he  married  he  had  every  chance  and  hope  of  having  a 
comfortable  place  with  Priest's  orders;  but  his  patron,  the 
Rector  of  the  Seminary,  died  suddenly  before  he  had  been 
able  to  fulfil  his  promises,  and  Dmitri  Hypatievitch  GideonofF 

1  Representative  of  the  law  in  villages.     He  has  civil  rank,  and  is  sub- 
ordinate to  a  superior  officer  in  the  district  town. 


Roman  the  Reader 


% 


was  thankful  enough  to  accept  a  Deacon's  place  and  calling. 
But  he  always  lived  in  the  hope  that  some  of  these  days  the 
desire  of  his  heart  would  be  accomplished. 

A  Deacon  of  the  Greco-Russian  Church  is  capable  of 
becoming  a  Priest  if  he  undergoes  a  certain  examination ;  he 
often  marries  a  Priest's  daughter,  and  in  his  turn  gives  his 
daughters  in  marriage  to  candidates  for  Priest's  orders;  but  he 
is  considered  a  degree  lower  in  position  than  a  Priest.  The 
habits  and  mode  of  life  of  all  classes  of  ecclesiastics  are  so 
similar,  that  I  may  say  the  only  difference  rests  on  the  pro- 
portional state  of  the  finances  of  either.  The  families  of  all, 
however,  are  always  superior  in  town  to  those  who  have  been 
bom  and  bred  in  the  country. 

There  is  a  peculiar  charm  in  the  village  dwellings  of  these 

hard-worked  and  ill-paid  Ministers  of  the  Gospel.     I  do  not 

pretend  to  dispute  that  many  are  ignorant,  "  given  to  much 

wine,"  and  lovers  of  lucre ;  but  it  is  but  fair  to  state  that  their 

faults  and  failings  are  grievously  exaggerated  in  many  of  the 

books   of  Russian   travel   that  have   fallen  into  my  hands. 

These  hasty  judgments   leave   a  lasting  impression   on  the 

minds  of   the   public,   and   the  result  reminds  me   of   the 

opinion  the  Russians  have  formed  of  English  schoolmasters, 

founded  on  the  Squeers  of  Mr.  Dickens's  "  Nicholas  Nickleby," 

which  they  suppose  to  be  a  faithful  portrait  of  the  pedagogues 

of  Great  Britain.      Nothing  can   be  more  unpleasant  to  an 

English  person  in  Russia,  or  to  a  Russian  in  England,  than 

tlie   ignorance   concerning   each  other   that   he  cannot   but 

observe  in  both  nations ;  and  the  feeling  of  amusement  that 

this  at  first  excites  changes  into  irr'itdtion  or  indignation  when 

his  endeavours  to  set  the  errors  to  rights  are  futile,  for  the 

Russian  is  as  opinionated  as  the  Englishman— or  vice  versd: 


A  Roman  the  Reader 

but  I  must  go  on  with  my  story,  and  not  grumble  at  my  fellow- 
creatures. 

The  Deaconess  was  not  a  lively  or  amiable  person  by 
nature,  and  circumstances  combined  to  make  her  less  and  less 
so  every  year  of  her  life.     In  the  first  place,  she  could  never 
forgive  her  husband  for  being  a  Deacon  and  not  a  Priest,  and 
took  every  opportunity  of  casting  the  same  in  his  teeth;  re- 
minding him  that  she  was  a  Priest's  daughter,  and  reproaching 
him  for  having  married  before  he  was  sure  of  the  place,  hint- 
ing that  the  history  he  gave  of  himself  to  her  father,  and  the 
good-will  of  the  Rector,  were  nothing  but  humbug.     She  had 
an  almost  annual  disappointment,  too,  in  the  births  of  nine 
daughters,  and  did  not  attempt  to  conceal  her  relief  and  satis- 
faction when  four  of  the  number  were  removed  to  a  happier 
home.     She  was  idle,  inefficient,  and  fussy,  as  mother  of  a 
family  and  mistress  of  a  house,  and  had  it  not  been  for  the 
pious  Deacon  all  would  have  gone  to  rack  and  ruin  in  their 
little  household.     One  circumstance  only,  connected  with  her 
as  housewife,  which  contributed  to  the  earthly  comfort  of  her 
husband,  was   her  magnificent  culinary  talent.      The  notion 
that  it  was  carefully  cultivated  from  purely  selfish   motives 
did  not,  fortunately,  spoil  the  healthy  appetite  of  the  hard- 
working son  of  the  Church,  and  it  was  decidedly  a  creature 
comfort  to  see,  as  well  as  to  partake  of,  the  simplest  and 
cheapest  dinners  when  prepared  and  served  as  Pavla  Lavren- 
tievna  did  when  she  intended  partaking  of  the  same  herself. 

In  personal  appearance  the  husband  and  wife  were  very 
ordinary ;  but  he  had  a  "  redeeming  point "  in  the  form  of  a 
benevolent  expression  of  countenance,  and  a  frank  and  cheer- 
ful manner  which,  from  constant  ill-temper  and  discontent, 
were  for  ever  strangers  to  the  plain  face  of  the  Deaconess. 


Roman  the  Reader  5 

All  the  nine  little  girls  were  as  like  as  drops  of  water,  with 
their  fathers  pleasant  grey  eyes  and  luxuriant  light  hair,  and 
their  mother's  round  fat  face  and  wide  mouth;  but  all  had  the 
Deacon's  good  temper  and  industry.  As  the  survivors  grew 
up,  they  contributed  infinitely  to  the  cheerfulness  and  comfort 
of 'their  home;  and  it  was  with  great  personal  regret  that  their 
parents  parted  with  them  when  suitable  bridegrooms  asked 
for  them.  At  the  time  of  their  brother's  birth  two  were 
already  married,  two  rapidly  growing  into  womanhood;  then 
there  was  a  gap  of  eight  or  nine  years,  caused  by  the  deaths 
of  the  four  babies,  and  then  No.  9,  a  good,  quiet,  fat  child  of 

five,  Nadejda  by  name. 

Hypatitch,  as  the  Deacon  was  familiarly  called,  had  gone  to 
the  nearest  town  to  buy  a  few  little  luxuries,  such  as  tea,  raisins, 
sweet  cakes,  and  nuts,  for  an  approaching  holiday,  when  his  son 
was  born ;  and  his  happiness  and  satisfaction  on  hearing  the 
joyful  news  were  greater  than  he  had  ever  experienced  since  he 
was  praised  by  the  Inspector  before  all  the  scholars.     The 
Priest  of  the  village  and  the  Stanovoy's  wife  were  invited  to  be 
sponsors  to  the  child ;  and  in  the  meantime  the  name  of  Romkn 
was  given  him,  partly  because  he  was  bom  on  the  eve  of  St 
Roman's  day,  partly  because  his  father  had  a  friend  of  the  name 
whom  he  greatly  valued.      His   mother,   naturally  a  hardy 
vigorous  woman,  was  inclined  to  avail  herself  of  the  importance 
and  interest  with  which  her  new  maternity  invested  her,  and 
give  herself  up  to  laziness  and  enjoyment ;  but  her  young 
daughters'  cookery  did  not  suit  her  taste  at  all ;  and  on  the 
third  day  of  her  infant's  existence,  after  partaking  of  some  very 
indifferent  pea-soup,  (to  which  Evpraxia,  the  eldest  girl,  had 
added  a  pint  of  cold  water  by  way  of  making  it  "do"  for  the 
family  supper),  she  declared  her  intention  of  rising  the  next 


Roman  the  Reader 


moming  to  cook  a  decent  dinner,  and  greatly  shamed  poor 
Evpraxia  by  calling  the  pea-soup  pig-wash.  The  Deacon 
attempted  a  remonstrance,  but  was  met  by  such  a  storm  of 
reproach  that  he  could  but  reply  by  begging  her  to  do  anything 
but  be  angry — no,  that  is — distress  herself. 

So  the  next  day  she  prepared  a  tasty  little  meal;  and  by 
way  of  teaching  Evpraxia  to  take  more  pains  in  future,  she 
compelled  her  to  eat  the  remains  of  the  pea-soup  before  she 
touched  anything  else.  She  considered  that  now  she  had 
every  right  to  be  as  exacting  and  cross  as  it  was  possible  for 
mortal  woman  to  be,  and  made  everybody  in.  the  house 
(except  the  baby)  as  miserable  as  she  could  desire.  The  elder 
girls  whispered  in  secret  after  some  unmerited  scolding, 
"Never  mind,  they  would  soon  be  old  enough  to  be  brides;" 
and  that  they  would  consent  to  be  married  to  the  squintingest 
and  ugliest  suitor  that  might  make  them  an  offer  sooner  than 
remain  at  home  to  be  scolded  from  morning  till  night  like 

that. 

"But  tyatinhaV'^  said  the  younger,  a  very  tender-hearted 

damsel  of  fourteen. 

"  Yes  !  poor  tyatinka !  I  should  be  sorry  for  him,  certainly, 
and  for  Nadinka;"— but  the  shrill  voice  of  the  mother  would 
put  a  stop  to  their  confidences. 

Little  Nadinka,  who  was  too  young  to  be  made  useful  in  any 
other  manner,  was  stationed  on  a  little  stool  by  the  side  of  the 
liulka,2  and  commanded,  with  dark  threats  of  unheard-of  pains 
and  penahies  should  she  leave  her  post,  to  rock  her  baby 
brother  unceasingly.  The  patient  little  thing  would  long  for  a 
game  of  play  with  the  cats,  for  a  run  in  the  yard,  for  a  nestle 

^  Papa  ;  used  by  the  merchants  and  lower  class  of  ecclesiastics  and  others. 
*  Cradle  j  it  is  suspended  from  the  ,ceiling  and  rocks  up  and  down. 


.■r 


Roman  the  Reader  7 

in  tyatinka's  lap,  but  never  stirred  from  her  stooL    When  her 
JL  passed  she  would  raise  her  imploring  eyes  to  her  face 
Tt  never  got  a  word  of  encouragement  or  caress ;  nothmg  but 
Ts^ke  of  the  fist  and  a  promise  of  the  comer,  deprivation  of 
supper,  and  the  Uke,  if  Romknoushka^  woke  before  his  t.me. 
Her  p  ain  little  face  shone  with  delight  when  a  hardly  per- 
feptible  movement  in  the  closely-curtained  liulka  gave  no^e 
that  the  tightly-swaddled  baby  -a3/wak-mg.     NadmUs 
efforts  would  redouble,  and  she  would  rock  w.  h  all  her    «le 
miffht    singing  her  lullaby   song,  or  saying,     Go  to  sleep, 
R^llL'l  sleep,  my  angel!  sleep,  batinka!"  untd  he^ 
mother  came  to  relieve  guard.    Then  she  would  jump  from  her 
stool;  but,  much  as  she  longed  for  motion,  she  never  lef    he 
side  of  th^  liulka  until  she  had  been  allowed  to  kiss  the  httle 
Z     Pavla  Lavrentievna,  as  soon  as  she  felt  the  soft  hgh 
burden  on  her  lap,  seemed  to  become  another  — .  and  al 
the  sweetness  of  maternal  love  shone  m  her  face       Tender 
words,  before  unknown  to  her  lips,  and  unheard  by  he  nme 
baby  girls,  were  lavished  on  her  unconscious  soi^    Little  by 
little,  fear  of  awakening  or  alarming  him  caused  a  marked 
softening  of  her  voice  and  tone  when  giving  orders  to,  or  find- 
ing fault  with,  her  husband  and  daughters.    The  latter  thanked 
the  Almighty  every  hour  of  their  lives  for  giving  them  a 
brother;  and  the  Deacon,  who  had  been  gneved  from    he 
bottom  of  his  pious  heart  for  twenty-one  years  by  his  wife  s 
perpetual  bad  temper,  took  courage,  and  prayed  nigh    and 
morning  that  this  blessed  change  might  be  lasting     All  the 
hopes  of  the  husband  and  wife  were  now  centred  m  the    pope 
as  they  began  to  call  him  from  the  first  hours  of  his  hfe;  and 
dreams  of  a  splendid  career  at  the  seminary,  of  a  town  appomt- 

I  Dim.  for  Roman. 


s 


J^omcin  tTie  Reader 


ment,  a  rich  and  lovely  bride,  for  him  ;  and  for  them,  of  a  very 
calm  and  happy  old  age-were  cherished  by  both  in  the  colours 

most  pleasing  to  either. 

Romkn  throve  beautifully;   his  first  smile  and  first  tear, 
which  are  considered  by  the  Russians  as  harbingers  of  reason 
in  an  infant,  were  quite  epochs  in  the  family  history,  so  much 
was  said  about  them.     He  was  a  fair,  plump,  good-tempered 
child,  and  had  all  the  beauty  of  the  family,  being  really  a 
remarkably  lovely  infant,  although  strikingly  like  both  his 
parents.     His  father  insisted  on  his  being  vaccinated ;  and  as 
this  involved  a  journey  to  the  district  town,  where  each  had 
relatives  and  were  sure  of  a  welcome,  Pavla  Lavrentievna  was 
pleased  to  consent.     And  thereby  arose  a  terrible  dispute. 
Evpraxia  and  Antonina  had  had  the  small-pox  in  their  eariy 
childhood,  and  escaped  almost  without  a  single  pock;  but 
little  Nadinka  had  neither  been  vaccinated,  nor  had  she  ever 
been  sick  of  any  rash-complaint  whatever.     The  Deacon  pro- 
posed taking  her  to  town  also,  and  having  her  vaccinated  with 
the  baby ;  but  his  wife  set  her  face  against  it  with  an  obstinacy 
that  was  as  aggravating  as  it  was  unreasonable. 

"  Think,  Mother,  reflect  for  a  moment !  Nadia  is  a  little 
giri.  Of  course  I  should  be  sorry  if  either  of  them  were 
stricken  with  small-pox;  but  of  the  two,  Nadinka's  personal 
appearance  is  the  more  important,  she  being  a  giri.'* 

"  A  giri !  a  giri !  she'll  do  just  as  well  as  the  others,  please 
God.  Look  at  Evpraxka  and  Antoshka,  are  they  not  fine 
giris?  'blood  and  milk,'i  one  may  say !  and  were  they  not  ill, 
Wisehead,  eh?  And  did  not  you  groan  over  them,  God 
forgive  you,  as  if  they  were  painted  pictures,  or  picked-out 
beauties? — Ugh !" 

1  A  literal  translation,  expressive  of  a  fine  complexion. 


Roman  the  Reader  9 

"Whatever  they  may  be  to  other  people,"  shouted  the 
Deacon,  roused,  for  his  girls  were  his  delight  and  pnde, 
"they  are  painted  pictures  for  me!  Yes!  and  better  than 
picked-out  beauties,  for  they  are  godly  good-hearted  girls. 
And  they  are  my  born  children,  Mother,  which  is  everythmg 
in  one  word.  And  shall  I.  ever  forget  my  Katmka  and 
Lubinka,  when  that  same  small-pox  was  on  them?  or  Gods 
an<^el,  Doushinka,  who  died  of  it.  Mother !  I  wonder  at 
myself,  I  declare,"  said  the  fond  father,  "  that  it  never  entered 
my  head  before.    And  I  will  take  Nadia.    So  get  ready  her 

things,  Mother."  r     i  c* 

The  real  fact  was  that  the  poor  little  girl  had  not  a  frock  fit 
to  wear  in  town,  before  her  grand  relations,  and  the  little  lamb- 
skin shouba,  in  which  she  frisked  about  in  the  yard,  had  but  a 
very  shabby  and  well-worn  cotton-tweed  covenng.  It  mattered 
not  if  the  expedition  were  postponed  for  a  few  days,  while  the 
little  wardrobe  was  being  brought  into  order;  but  Pavla  Lav- 
rentievna argued  and  argued  that  go  they  must  that  very 
week,  and  so  worried  the  Deacon,  that  he  was  on  the  pomt  of 
giving  in,  when  the  innocent  object  of  dispute  leant  her  plump 
arms   on   his   knees,   and   looking   up   into   his   face,   said 

coaxingly, — 

"Yes  do  take  me  this  once,  tyatinka! 

"Yes,  I  will!  you  shall  go,  my  lapinka!    We'll  see  what  we 
have  got  in  our  box,  eh?    Come  along." 

We  need  not  repeat  the  reproaches  and  ^mblmgs  that 
were  elicited  by  this  decision.  Nadinka  was  overjoyed,  and 
accompanied  her  father  to  the  bed-room,  where  there  stood 
a  large  gaudily-painted  iron-bound  chest,  out  of  which  he  took 
pieces  of  all  sorts  of  draper's  and  mercer's  wares;  linens  and 
calicoes,  pieces  of  silk  and  satinet  for  future  gowns  and  cloaks 


S 


xo 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


II 


for  the  elder  girls;  then  home-spun  linen,  lace,  thread,  and  at 

last  cotton  prints. 

«  Don't  touch  that  blue  one,  Deacon !  it  is  a  full  dress,  and 
will  do  for  a  grown  girl.  Nor  that  pink  remnant,  fright  that 
you  are  !  it  will  be  just  enough  for  the  pope— please  God— at 
three  or  four  years  old." 

"The  pope  shall  have  a  prettier  one,  M^toushka!  This, 
will  just  suit  us :  eh,  Nadia?-Now  girls  !  Who  is  my  handi- 
work-woman and  dressmaker?  Both?  well,  wait  a  minute. 
Where's  the  lining?  and  have  you  some  white  thread  to  sew 
with?  Yes?  well  then,  mother  will  cut  it  out  for  you  directly, 
and  I  know  it  will  be  ready  by  to-morrow  evening. 

He  then  put  back  all  the  things  as  tidily  as  a  woman,  and 
taking  his  son  from  his  wife,  wheedled  her  into  cutting  out  the 
little  °frock  in  her  best  style.  Evpraxia  undertook  to  wash 
other  appendages  to  her  little  sister's  toilette,  and  all  seemed 
to  be  the  happier  for  the  child's  pleasure. 

The  girls  anticipated  having  great  fun  during  their  parents' 
absence,  but  carefully  concealed  their  airy  castles,  for  fear  of 
means  being  taken  for  their  prevention.  The  Deacon  asked 
a  neighbour,  the  sister  of  the  Reader,  who  was  a  great  hand  at 
singing  Christmas  songs,  telling  fortunes  with  cards,  and 
"guessing  fate,"  to  keep  house  with  his  darlings,  and  secretly 
left  them  a  little  stock  of  tea  and  honey,  nuts  and  sweet 
biscuits,  for  it  was  Christmas  time,  and  he  liked  them  to  be 
happy  and  comfortable  in  their  own  way. 

Early  in  the  morning  the  horse  was  put  to,  and  the  wicker 
carriage  on  the  country  sledge  made  as  comfortable  as  hay 
and  carpets  could  make  it     Little  Nadia,  in  her  old  best 
dress  nicely  washed,  her  shouba  cleaned  and  considerably 
improved  by  a  binding  of  cotton  velvet,— all  the  work  of  her 


.clever  sister  Evpraxia— was  in  the  state  of  restlessness  and 
impatience  that  most  children  exhibit  when  on  the  point  of 
making  an  unusual  outing;  but  at  last  the  delightful  moment 
arrived  when  she  was  lifted  in  by  her  mother's  side,  and  tlie 
Deacon's  long  legs  vaulted  after  her. 

They  had  not  gone  more  than  six  versts  from  their  village, 
when  Rbmoushkai  began  to  manifest  symptoms  of  discomfort, 
and  in  a  short  time  these  turned  into  a  violent  fit  of  screaming, 
which  his  mother  in  vain  endeavoured  to  pacify.  Supposing 
that  the  cold  must  affect  him  in  some  way,  they  determined  to 
stop  at  the  nearest  hamlet,  and  warm  the  litde  fellow  before 
proceeding   further.      Altogether    they   had    forty  versts   to 

perform. 

Hypatitch  was  well  known  in  every  hamlet  of  his  own 
parish  and  in  many  others  as  well,  and  had  no  difficulty  in 
deciding  at  whose  house  to  stop.  Pavla  Lavrentievna  knew 
the  mistress  well  too,  and  had  informed  her  of  the  object  of 
their  journey  before  she  had  been  in  the  warm  kitchen  five 

minutes. 

"  Well,  you  know  best,  of  course,"  said  the  woman ;  "it's  your 
affair,  not  mine :  but  God  forbid  I  should  ever  allow  a  child  of 
mine  to  be  vaccinated.  Can  we  be  greater  than  God  Himself? 
If  He  pleases  to  afflict  us,  dare  we  dispute  His  holy  will?"^ 

"  But,  Yakolevna,  consider,"  argued  the  Deaconess,  "  if  you 
were  to  break  your  arm,  or  get  a  bad  cough,  would  you  not 
try  to  be  cured?  Is  it  not  the  same  thing?  only  vaccination 
prevents,  you  know." 

^  Dim.  for  Romkn. 

«  This  feeling  is  so  universal  among  the  peasants,  that  Government 
compels  them  to  have  their  children  vaccinated,  but  frequently  they  bribe 
the  vaccinators  to  leave  them  alone. 


N 


12 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


13 


« Well,  you  know  best ;  you  are  grammatical,  of  course : 
but  still  it  is  the  mark  of  the  Beast !  Yet  who  knows?  Now 
there's  our  Vasilka  has  been  laid  up  with  it  these  five  weeks, 
and  if  he  will  get  up  with  his  eyes  or  without  them,  God 

knows.     It  is  His  will !" 

The  Deaconess  turned  pale.  "  What !  the  small-pox  in  your 
house  ?  Let  us  be  off  this  instant !"  cried  she,  catching  up  her 
baby  and  rolling  him  anyhow  in  his  wrappers.  "  Hypatitch  ! 
Father  Deacon!  where  is  that  malefactor?    Akh!  Gospodi! 

Gospodi ! " 

It  was  at  least  a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  the  Deacon 
could  be  hunted  out.  The  master  of  the  house  where  they 
had  stopped  had  led  him  to  a  neighbour's  to  look  at  a  horse 
that  was  for  sale.  The  infant,  soothed  by  the  warmth,  had 
ceased  crying,  and,  heedless  of  the  entreaties  of  the  good 
people  to  wait  and  have  dinner,  spite  of  the  smoking  viands 
on  the  hastily-spread  table,  the  whole  party  left  the  house  in 
less  than  half  an  hour  after  having  entered  it 

They  reached  the  town  towards  evening,  and  stopped  at 
the  house  of  Pavla  Lavrentievna's  brother,  a  priest,  who  was 
married  to  a  lay  lady,  with  whom  the  Deaconess  could  never 
get  on  at  all;  though,  to  be  sure,  she  did  not  get  on  very 
well  with  anybody.  However,  they  met  with  a  very  kind 
welcome,  and  the  sister-in-law  quite  won  Pavla  Lavrentievna's 
heart  by  going  into  raptures  with  the  "  sweet  baby."  Nadinka, 
too,  came  in  for  a  large  share  of  petting ;  and  her  cousin, 
a  girl  of  sixteen  or  seventeen,  made  her  perfectly  happy 
by  curling  her  hair  at  night,  an  operation  she  had  never 
undergone  before,  and  by  making  her  a  whole  family  of 
rag  dolls,  with  embroidered  features,  and  hair  stolen  from 
the  cook's  distaE 


The  country  visitors  had  to  remain  longer  than  they  in- 
tended, in  consequence  of  the  vaccination  day  at  the  hospital 
having  been  altered  from  Wednesday  to  Saturday,  the  latter 
day  being  more  convenient  for  the  country  people,  who  came 
with  things  for  sale  to  the  markets.  The  Deacon  reflected 
that  the  girls  at  home  had  sufficient  provisions  to  last  them  an 
extra  day  or  two,  and  was  rather  pleased  than  otherwise  to 
have  a  little  holiday.  His  wife  was  quite  in  her  glory,  and 
took  the  opportunity  of  learning  how  to  dress  several  new 
dishes,  and  to  bake  various  fashionable  rusks  and  biscmts, 
from  her  brother's  clever  town  cook. 

Saturday  came;  and  the  operation  was  duly  performed; 
and  immediately  afterwards  they  set  out  on  their  journey 
home,  the  children  being  extra-warmly  wrapped  up. 

"Only  look,  Hypatitch!"  said  the  Deaconess,  about  a 
week  after,  ^'how  the  dear  son's  arms  are  swelled!  My 
lamb !  my  pigeon !  But  there,  never  mind !  he  will  be  a 
beauty  all  his  life;  a  smooth  delicate-faced  boy!  and  not 
pitted  and  pocked  as  if  the  hens  had  been  pecking  at  him, 

a  popik  that  he  is  !" 

"Hm!  And  how  are  my  Nadejda  Dmitrievna's  arms?" 
said  the  father,  turning  towards  the  child,  who  was  arranging 
the  sugar-loaf-paper  furniture  that  her  cousin  had  cut  out  for 
her,  in  a  corner  of  the  deep  window-sill.     ''  Come  here,  girly, 

and  show  yourself  to  me." 

He  bared  the  little  arms,  but  to  his  surprise  there  was 
not  a  sign  of  inflammation  on  either ;  merely  the  traces  of 
the  three  slight  scratches,  now  quite  healed,  that  had  been 
inflicted  by  the  experienced  hand  of  the  assistant-surgeon. 
"What  is  the  meaning  of  this,  Mother?'* 

"It  does  not  take  with  everybody,"  said  the  Deaconess, 


S 


14 


Roman  tlie  Reader 


Roman  ike  Reader 


15 


II 


indifferently.     "  I  have  heard  of  people  having  their  children 
vaccinated  three  times,  and  it's  not  succeeding  once." 

"  Yes ;  I  have  heard  of  it  too.  But  what  I  mean  is  this ; 
have  we  let  her  catch  cold  with  it?  Because  you  know  that 
would  not  be  over  and  above  safe  for  her,  Mother.  Has 
she  been  out  into  the  yard  or  anywhere  in  the  cold  ?— Girls ; 
hey !     Evpraxinka,  has  Nadia  been  out  since  we  came  from 

town?** 

All  the  family  at  once  declared  that  to  their  certain  know- 
ledge she  had  not  crossed  the  threshold. 

"Well;  God  forbid!  but  if  it  does  not  take  this  time,  I 
shall  send  her  to  Ivan  Lavrentievitch's  with  the  Reader  on 
Friday,  and  ask  him  to  have  it  repeated,  and  to  keep  her  there 
till  all  is  finished.** 

This  was  said  on  Sunday  afternoon,  and  on  Tuesday  Pavla 
Lavrentievna  began  to  observe  that  the  little  girl  was  languid 
and  irritable,  did  not  care  for  her  meals,  and  towards  evening 
complained  of  pain  in  her  back.  This  made  her  father  declare 
still  more  vehemently  that  the  vaccination  had  got  a  chill,  and 
he  groaned  much  as  he  abused  himself  for  not  leaving  her 
with  her  aunt  and  uncle.  They  put  her  to  sleep  in  the  best 
bed,  gave  her  raspberry  tea,  and  covered  her  with  several  fur 
pelisses  to  promote  perspiration.  She  fell  into  a  restless 
slumber;  and  the  parents,  ill  at  ease  on  her  account,  went 
to  bed  at  a  late  hour. 

The  next  day  the  little  sufferer  had  something  that  nobody 
could  understand — a  faint,  or  a  fit.  Evpraxia  and  Antonina 
finnly  believed  that  she  was  going  to  die  directly,  and  set 
up  lamentations  of  the  most  dismal  description.  Pavla  Lav- 
rentievna immediately  sent  Antosha  for  the  old  woman  who 
attended  the  family  in  sickness;   and  x»  soon  as  she  heard 


an  account  of  all  the  symptoms,  she  said  at  once  that  the 
ratien  was  sickening  for  small-pox!  The  Deaconess  said 
S^when  the  others  had  it,  see  did  not  remember  any  hmg 

relfit;  but  the  old  woman  remarked  that  perhaps  it  had 

aken  Jlle  during  the  night,  and  had  passed  off  itself  un- 
observed.     Hypatitch  was  away  at  the  time,  carrying  home 

!  Tbutwhenhe  arrived  and  heard  the  sad  news,  he  ^uck 
to  his  first  conviction,  that  the  vaccine  matter  had  been 

Lwn  inwards  by  a  chill,  and  agreed  with  the  old  woman  that 

Is  now  coming  out  in  the  form  of  "natural    small-pox. 

l„d"  was  not  undl  the  poor  little  darling  was  lying  fearfully 

m   that  he  and  his  wife  recollected  the  circumstance  at  the 

himlet  on  their  road  to  town. 

She  had  it  violently,  and  at  one  time  her  medical  attendant, 
the  dd  woman,  pronounced  her  in  a  hopeless  state.     Nothing 
hTc  medicine  was  administered,  but  they  used  to  take  her  to 
the  bath  every  day  and  steam  her,  to  bring  out  the  eruption 
more  freely.    She  did  not  die;  it  was  when  the  days  were 
Ich  longer  and  the  sun  much  warmer,  when  drops  began  to 
fall  from  the  roofs,  and  the  fowls  to  venture  out  into  the  yard, 
that  she  was  dressed  for  the  first  time  after  ^er  -overy- 
awfuUy  disfigured,  but  with  eyes  uninjured.    Those  of    he 
Deacon  had  been  often  very  red  and  swollen  during  his  htte 
daughter's  sickness;  Pavla  Lavrentievna  was  too  much  taken 
up  with  her  baby  to  bestow  much  t-e  or  thought  onjhe 
patient    "  If  she  dies,  she  ^viU  go  to  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven 
S  sa^  to  all  whom  she  saw ;  "  but  if  she  lives,  God's  will  be 
done !    But  she  will  be  a  Christ's-bride^  all  her  life;  remember 

my  words  !'* 
X  Spinster.    The  term  is  applied  to  sickly  or  afflicted  maidens  who  are 

not  like  to  marry. 


S 


i6 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


17 


Great  was  Nadia's  happiness  when  she  was  strong  enough 
to  hold  her  little  brother,  now  a  fat  grave  child  of  nearly 
six  months  old.  As  months  passed  on  and  turned  into  years, 
she  was  still  his  careful  nurse  and  indulgent  playfellow,  and 
he  repaid  her  with  the  most  ardent  affection  and  imphcit 
confidence.  Evpraxia  married  a  layman,  much  to  the  dis- 
pleasure of  her  mother;  but  the  Deacon  liked  his  future 
son-in-law  so  much,  that  he  insisted  on  his  wife's  offering 
no  foolish  objections.  Antonina  followed  her  sister's  example 
at  an  early  age;  but  her  bridegroom  was  a  candidate  for 
Priest's  orders,  with  an  excellent  situation  in  view;  and  the 
illy  mother  did  not  conceal  her  preference  for  this  daughter 
and  son-in-law  before  all  the  rest;  and  why?  Because  the 
latter  had  a  better  place  than  the  others ;  that  was  all ! 

Romkn  was  a  fine  little  boy,  intelligent  and  bold,  and  very 
gentle-tempered  and  tender-hearted  withal.  He  and  Nadia 
ran  wild  until  he  was  nearly  .seven  years  old,  when  his  father 
began  to  teach  him  the  Sclavonic  alphabet,  that  bugbear  to 
all  ecclesiastical  children;  and  Nadia,  in  order  to  help  him, 
and  perhaps  from  a  natural  love  of  acquiring  knowledge,  learnt 
it  at  the  same  time. 

^^ Az,  nash,  an;  giagol,  est,  Ihidi,  yere,  gel;  angel.  O 
Nadia,  I  cannot!  I  really  cannot T  the  poor  little  fellow 
would  sob.  "When  shall  I  get  to  hear  it  with  my  ears? 
If  tyktinka  would  but  let  me  read  straight  off,  it  would  be 
much  easier.  Booki,  iky  boo;  rtzi,  ya,  ria;  Booria;  rtzi, 
ya;  .  .  .  Oi !" 

Nadinka  was  not  as  quick  as  Romkn,  but  she  was  perse- 
vering, and  older  than  he,  consequently  she  overcame  the 
difficulties  of  the  Church  alphabet  sooner  than  her  brother. 
Evpraxia's  husband,  hearing  of  her  feats  with  Sclavonic,  sent 


her  a  "  civil "  spelling-book,  as  they  call  it  in  distinction  to 
that  of  the  Church.  In  the  former  the  letters  are  called, 
as  in  other  European  languages,  "  a,  b,  v,  g,"  and  so  on,  while 
the  same  letters  in  the  Sclavonic  or  Church  alphabet  are 
named  az,  booki,  vedi,  glagoi;  so  that  to  spell  the  syllable  ga, 
the  wretched  learner  must  pronounce  thus,  "  Glagoi,  az,  ga." 
The  ear  can  play  no  part  whatever,  and  the  eye  very  little, 
until  the  sounds  are  drummed  into  the  head.  The  process  of 
reading  in  Sclavonic  is  easy  enough  to  those  who  can  read  civil 
Russ ;  but  nothing  can  be  more  puzzling  to  a  beginner  than 
the  absurd  old  system  of  spelling  in  Sclavonic. 

Pavla  Lavrentievna  was  very  vexed  with  her  son-in-law's 
present  to  Nadia,  and  threatened  to  take  it  from  her,  and 
lock  it  up.  "Thank  God!"  said  the  pious  mother,  "my 
other  girls  never  read  anything  but  the  Holy  Scriptures,  or 
the  Lives  of  the  Saints,  as  it  becomes  maidens  of  ecclesiasti- 
cal family,  in  the  language  of  the  Church ;  but  if  we  let  that 
wild  thing  learn  the  civil  spelling-book,  we  shall  have  her 
reading  novels  and  song-books;  who  knows?  Not  to  speak 
of  the  time  it  takes,  drawing  her  attention  from  the  distaff 
and  sewing  to  nonsensical  pictures  and  verses  and  fables, 
and  what  not.     Tphoo  !" 

Dmitri  Hypatitch  read  the  whole  volume  through,  from 
the  picture  illustrating  the  letter  A,  to  the  National  Hymn 
at  the  end;  including  a  new  system  of  arithmetic,  moral 
reflections,  an  epitome  of  sacred  and  Russian  history,  orthodox 
prayers,  and  fables  of  "the  Fox  and  the  Crow,"  "the  Wolf 
and  the  Lamb,"  and  others,  familiar  to  every  learner  in 
Europe;  and  he  pronounced  it  excellent,  and  to  contain 
nothing  contrary  to  sound  faith  and  doctrine.  And  hence- 
forth Nadia's  Sunday  afternoons  and  holidays  were  passed 

B 


J 


J8 


Roman  the  Reader 


in  the  perusal  of  the  spelling-book,  and  in  copying  out  on  a 
slate  the  moral  reflections,  which  were  very  much  to  her  taste. 
Rom^n  little  by  little  conquered  the  Sclavonic  difficulties ; 
and  picked  up  not  a  little  knowledge  from  his  sister,  (who 
could  not  read  otherwise  than  aloud) ;  the  civil  spelling-book 
did  him  a  good  turn  also,  and  the  clerk  of  the  stanovoy  taught 
him  to  write  a  good  hand,  so  that  when  it  was  considered  time 
to  send  "the  pope"  to  the  district  school,  previous  to  entering 
the  seminary,  he  was  as  well  prepared  as  could  possibly  be 

expected  of  him. 

From  an  early  age  his  father  used  to  take  him  to  church, 
and  encouraged  him  in  joining  his  little  voice  with  those 
of  the  singers.  Accustomed  from  his  babyhood  to  the  idea 
of  ultimately  becoming  a  priest,  he  entered  into  the  services 
with  interest  and  intelligence;  and  his  favourite  amusement 
during  the  long  winter  evenings  was  christening,  marrying, 
and  burying  dolls ;  he  even  had  canonicals  for  that  purpose, 
made  by  his  indulgent  sister  out  of  blue  sugar-loaf-paper,  an 
article  much  in  favour  for  harness,  houses,  and  other  play- 
things with  the  rising  generation  of  holy  Russia. 

It  is  doubtful  whether  Pavla  Lavrentievna  w^ould  ever  have 
made  up  her  mind  to  part  with  her  darling,  had  it  been  pos- 
sible for  him  to  become  a  pope  without  leaving  the  paternal 
roof;  and  as  it  was,  she  made  a  great  fuss  and  to-do  when 
her  husband  on  his  return  from  town  one  day  seriously  desired 
her  to  get  the  boy's  wardrobe  into  perfect  order,  and  placed  at 
her  disposal  various  ginghams  and  prints,  while  he  carried  off 
two  pieces  to  the  village  tailor,  to  be  made  up  for  the  future 
scholar. 

Like  most  children  all  the  world  over,  Rom^n  was  delighted 
at  the  prospect  of  a  change ;  and  it  was  not  till  he  absolutely 


Roman  the  Reader 


19 


pronounced  the  word  "  good-bye "  to  the  weeping  Nadia,  that 
he  felt  an  atom  of  regret  at  leaving  his  home. 

Both  his  parents  accompanied  him  to  town,  and  placed  him 
in  comfortable  quarters  with  the  widow  of  a  reader,  who  main- 
tained herself  and  family  by  taking  in  little  boarders.  Many 
and  sincere  were  the  tears  shed  by  the  Deaconess  during  a 
conversation  with  Roman's  landlady,  while  the  Deacon  went 
to  the  Head  Master  of  the  Ecclesiastical  school,  to  introduce 
the  new  pupil  to  him,  and  to  beg  his  acceptance  of  a  small 
tub  of  honey.  Pavla  Lavrentievna  bought  a  pound  of  nuts 
and  some  sweet  beans  and  biscuits  for  the  fellow-lodgers  of 
her  son;  and  besought  them  not  to  ill-use,  beat,  teaze,  or 
laugh  at  him.  The  following  day  the  parents  returned  home ; 
and  the  Deaconess,  by  way  of  soothing  her  grief  for  the 
absence  of  her  son,  sought  distraction  and  entertainment  in 
leading  Nadia  "such  a  life  as  never  was,"  to  use  the  sum 
and  substance  of  Petrovna  the  Reader's  wife's  report  of  home 
doings  to  Evpraxia,  when  she  met  her  at  a  neighbouring  village 

fair. 

And  a  "  life  "  it  was,  in  very  truth  !  The  poor  young  girl, 
never  a  beauty,  was  nothing  less  than  ugly  now,  from  the 
effects  of  her  dreadful  illness;  and  her  unamiable  mother 
upbraided  her  with  her  ill-looks  every  day  in  the  week,  calling 
her  a  hen-pecked  phiz,  an  object,  a  fright,  a  pea  scarecrow, 
and  a  dozen  other  terms  of  ridicule  and  contempt,  in  which 
the  Russian  language  is  as  rich  as  it  is  in  those  of  affection  and 
caress.  No  reason  can  be  positively  assigned  for  this  treat- 
ment, except  the  general  one,  that  Pavla  Lavrentievna  could 
not  exist  without  scolding  somebody;  and  as  she  had  no  one 
left  but  her  husband  and  Nadia,  she  selected  the  latter  as 
being  a  completely  defenceless  and  unrevengeful  object     Nol 


20 


Roman  the  Reader 


did  Nadia  deserve  the  constant  fault-finding  that  embittered 
her  life;  she  was  an  obedient,  hard-working,  and  singularly 
submissive  girl.  Never  did  a  word  of  insolence,  and  seldom 
one  of  self-justification,  pass  her  lips;  and  whatever  was  re- 
quired of  her,  she  fulfilled  to  the  best  of  her  ability.  The 
secret  of  all  was,  that,  despite  her  plain  face,  she  was  her 
father's  idol,  and  the  decided  favourite  of  the  light  of  Pavla 
La\Tentievna's  eyes — her  adored  popik ;  and  it  is  to  be  feared 
that  jealousy  was  the  chief  cause  of  her  heartless  treatment  of 
her  daughter ;  unless  I  allude  again  to  the  necessity  of  having 
one  upon  whom  to  vent  her  ill-temper. 

Nadia's  days  were  passed  in  active  household  work,  all  of 
which,  except  the  actual  preparation  of  food,  fell  to  her  share ; 
and  that  is  no  trifle  in  a  Russian  family,  even  in  so  humble  a 
home  as  that  of  the  Deacon.  There  were  two  cows,  calves, 
sheep  and  goats  and  pigs  to  feed,  and  the  cows  to  milk :  she 
was  fond  of  all  her  dumb  charges ;  but  the  out-door  depart- 
ment that  was  especially  to  her  taste  was  the  care  of  the 
poultry.  She  knew  the  habits  and  tastes  of  every  feathered 
creature  in  the  yard ;  and  had  many  facts  to  relate  about  each 
which  would  have  been  worthy  of  Kidd's  Journal  itself. 

Then  her  in-door  business  was  considerable ;  she  was  maid- 
of-all-work ;  and  when  everything  was  brought  into  the  precise 
state  of  order  that  her  mother  exacted,  she  had  flax  to  spin, 
and  the  yarn  to  weave  when  all  the  flax  was  spun :  and  then 
the  linen  to  bleach.  Holidays,  and  the  period  that  elapses 
between  the  weaving  of  last  year's  flax  and  the  pulling  up  of 
that  of  this  year,  were  passed  in  performing  the  laborious 
handiwork  peculiar  to  the  Russians — ornamenting  the  ends  of 
long  narrow  towels  and  the  edges  of  sheets  with  a  kind  of  hem- 
stitch in  many  rows,  which  forms  an  open  ground  on  which  to 


Roman  the  Reader 


21 


embroider,  in  thick  glossy  flax-thread,  various  devices,  gene- 
rally  of  a  very  primitive  and  unartistic  description  :  a  stockmg 
was  always  lying  on  the  window-sill,  ready  to  be  taken  up  at 

odd  moments. 

Thus  brought  up,  it  is  not  surprising  that  Nadia,  at  fifteen 
years  old,  was  very  nearly  as  ignorant  as  any  of  the  girls  of  the 
village ;  for  though  she  could  read  and  write  (that  is,  form 
characters  with  a  pen  or  pencil-a  letter  she  never  had  occasion 
to  write),  she  had  positively  no  time  to  think  of  anything  but 
what  she  had  to  do.  While  Romkn  was  at  home  she  could 
always  pour  out  her  little  troubles  or  great  vexations  to  him, 
child  as  he  was ;  and  she  often  heard  him  read  aloud  and  con 
his  lessons,  the  substance  of  which  remained  in  her  retentive 
memory;  but  since  he  had  gone  she  had  no  food  for  either 
mind  or  heart,  except  a  very  respectful  adoration  for  her 

father. 

When  she  had  attained  her  seventeenth  year,  and  was  still 

without  a  single  suitor,  her  position  became  more  and  more 

painful.     Her  mother,  always  eager  to  seize  on  any  real  cause 

for  complaint,  began  to  taunt  her  with  her  maidenhood,  telling 

her  that  her  four  sisters  were  wives  and  mothers  at  her  age, 

and  bringing  forward  examples  of  other  ecclesiastical  damsels 

who  had  lately  been  wooed  and  won.     Her  other  daughters, 

too,  had  been  remarkable  for  their  good  voices  and  excellent 

singing;  no  wedding  in  the  whole  blagotchiniei  was  complete 

without  the  Elenovka  Deacon's  girls  to  act  as  leaders  in  the 

wedding   choruses.      In   poor    Nadinka   there   was  nothing 

exterior  to  be  proud  of. 

Romkn  had  not  been  educated  to  very  delicate  feelings  or 
elegant  manners ;  but  at  the  time  he  was  placed  at  school  he 

1  Ecclesiastical  district. 


22 


Roman  the  Reader 


was  a  pure-minded,  warm-hearted,  and  decidedly  well-disposed 
child.  The  tricks,  the  bad  words,  the  malingering  and  laziness 
of  his  fellow-boarders  at  first  shocked  him  extremely ;  and  he 
once  or  twice  attempted  to  remonstrate,  but  he  was  always 
met  with  such  round  abuse,  (accompanied  often  by  blows  and 
kicks,  to  which  he  was  entirely  a  stranger,)  that  he  left  off 
expressing  his  horror  or  indignation,  and  little  by  little  got 
accustomed  to  it  all.  This  hardening  system  was  pursued  with 
the  utmost  vigour,  unpunished,  and  it  would  seem  unnoticed, 
by  Denisovna,  the  landlady,  who  fulfilled  her  engagement  to 
the  letter,  gave  the  boys  full  meals,  washed  their  linen,  and 
sent  them  to  the  bath  every  Saturday,  and  on  the  eve  of  every 
holiday ;  but  as  far  as  their  morals  and  conduct  were  concerned 
she  never  interfered  in  the  least,  except  indeed  when  their 
tricks  and  mischief  were  likely  to  affect  her  own  property  or 
quietude. 

The  teachers  of  such  schools  are  not  answerable  for  the  con- 
duct of  the  pupils ;  they  are  paid  for  teaching  some  particular 
branch  of  knowledge,  and  each  arrives  at  the  school  when  the 
hour  of  his  lesson  approaches,  mounts  his  high  desk,  delivers 
his  lecture  or  lesson — during  which  at  least  one  grand  thrashing, 
and  several  minor  ones,  are  administered  (not  by  the  teacher, 
but  by  the  keeper  of  the  building,  generally  an  old  soldier, 
whose  business  it  is  to  light  the  stoves,  sweep  the  school,  and 
thrash  the  boys) — makes  his  bow  and  goes  away.  Minor 
punishments,  such  as  standing  or  kneeling  in  the  corner, 
and  other  old-established  forms  of  discomfort,  were  largely 
inflicted,  and  every  teacher,  except  one,  was  hated  with  a 
v/hole-heartedness  that  might  have  done  wonders  in  a  good 
cause. 

The  teachers  themselves  were  not  a  little  to  be  pitied ;  they 


Roman  the  Reader 


n 


,..  a  thankless  task;  and  not  one  had  a    o^n  o   aUe^^^ 

,,e  old  beaten  form  of  '^^^^^^'^''^ l'^^^^ 

wanting  to  put  it  into  execution      A  d  shk    o^^^  ,  ^ 

reneral  horror  of  anythmg  out  of  the  old  origina 

track  is  I  think,  one  of  the  most  remarkable  traits  in  the  Rus- 

1^2.2^^^ ;  and  nowhere  is  it  so  marked  as  m  the  ecclesi- 

"t^Ta         I  do  not  refer  to  religious  opinion  or  forms, 

looked  on  as  impossibilities,  and  in  fact,  I  may  say  that  they 

^Tlrre  half-dozen  of  Denisovna's  boarders  was  one 
whts  p  evious  habits  and  tastes  had  more  in  common  wida 
R Ln'  than  those  of  the  rest.  He  was  the  orphan  ^^^^^^^ 
child  of  a  Protopope,  in  one  of  the  neigl.bouring  -nufac  urmg 
towns  and  was  distantly  related  to  his  landlady.  He  had 
ber;e  ted,  coddled,  and  doated  on  by  his  grandmother,  dressed 
afd  at^^n^^^^^  to  like  the  son  of  a  noble,  taught  with  the  utmost 
g  ntleness  by  his  grandfather,  and  then  suddenly  thrown  .n^. 
tie  little  whirlpool  of  childish  vice  which  every  large  public 

f  nr  ipc;.   nresents      His  principles  were  more  lax 

school,  more  or  less,  presenis.     x^     i         i  ^u„  nf 

than  those  of  Romin;  he  was  ready  to  jom  every  pan  of 
naughtmess,  and  applaud  every  bold  stroke  of  .mpertmen  e 
or  lyin-.     He  would  soon  have  become  as  bad  as  any  of  tl.e 
worst  in  the  school,  had  it  not  been  for  Rom^n  and  Romans 
protector,  a  great  muscular  lad   of  fourteen,  stup.d    o    he 
Lt  degree  at  learning,  but  not  vicious,  and  wUh  fists  tl«t 
,vere  t^e  terror  of  his  companions.      He  had  saved  » 
and  his  friend  from  more  than  one  beating,  and  mstructed 
them  in  the  art  of  self-defence  with  a  zeal  that  either  of    he 
teachers  might  have  done  well  to  imitate.     Thus  protec  ed 
by  physical  force,  Roman  and  his  chum,  who  rejoiced  m  the 


24 


Roman  the  Reader 


name  of  Appolon,  dared  to  be  well-behaved  and,  in  comparison 
with  many  others,  good  boys. 

The  idea  of  inquiring  into  the  character  of  Roman's  com- 
rades never  crossed  the  minds  of  his  parents;  they  warned 
him  in  general  terms  against  association  with  bad  boys,  against 
improper  language,  and  other  vices;  and  placed  him  with 
Denisovna,  because  she  had  the  reputation  of  being  very  con- 
scientious and  honest,  and  kind  and  motherly  to  her  little 
lodgers. 

Boys — children,  in  a  word — are  exactly  the  same  in  Russia 
as  they  are  in  England ;  just  as  fond  of  "  awful  fun,"  all  the 
more  delightful  if  seasoned  with  mischief,  just  as  apt  to  shirk, 
to  malinger  sometimes,  and  just  as  much  the  anxiety,  pride, 
and  delight  of  their  parents;  each  of  them  having  twenty 
redeeming  points  for  their  various  failings — have  they  not, 
mothers  ? 

Suffice  it  to  say,  that  Rom^n  did  not  pass  unscathed  through 
this  beginning  of  ordeals.  He  learned  to  lie,  to  pretend  he 
was  very  bad  when  he  only  felt  lazy;  but  he  hated  himself 
for  yielding  to  the  temptation,  acknowledging  its  full  guilt  in 
his  soul ;  and  always  protested  against  bad  language  and  pil- 
fering :  he  was  Denisovna's  champion  in  all  the  evil  designs  of 
the  three  naughty  ones  on  her  edible  property.  He  was  the 
leader  of  the  virtuous  party,  backed  by  the  vote  of  the  pretty 
Appolon,  and  the  fists  and  bass  voice  of  Grisha  Banin,  who 
delighted  to  thwart  the  others,  just  for  the  sake  of  thwarting, 
and  of  showing  off  his  prowess. 

As  for  the  learning  itself,  the  progress  and  improvements 
fluctuated  now  one  way,  now  the  other;  but  the  result  was, 
that  when  he  was  fifteen,  he  was  removed  to  the  Ecclesiastical 
Seminary  at  the  Government  town.     Great  were  the  disappoint- 


Roman  the  Reader 


25 


„,ents  trouble,  and  anxiety,  and  many  were  the  sleepless 
"S  that  fel  to  the  lot  of  Hypatitch  before  he  attamed  Ins 
oSeS-The  free  admission  for  his  son  to  the  Semmary  w.h 
f    .        I  Indaine       Pavla   Lavrentievna's    relatives  found 

;  n  .h.  wo»to  of  .«  *  .„..  *.  *u»»n»  j  fo 

the  vacancies  for  free  admission  are  supposed  to  be  kept  lor 
Z::Zr  the  sons  of  very  poor  or  retired  -^be^^^^^^^^^^ 
clergy;  and  the  Deacon  of  Elenovka  could  no  be  called  a 
very  poor  man,  though  he  was  by  no  means  a  rich  one. 

Wn  had  been  several  months  at  the  Semmary,  when  he 
leated  by  mere   chance  that  his   godmother's  family  we 
es  ding  at  the  Government  town.     Her  husband  had  had 
sreral  removes  since  she  stood  sponsor  for   Rom  n;   and 
Idually  the  Gideonoffs  had  lost  sight  of  her.     Her  godson  was 
not  as  bashful  as  one  might  expect  of  a  boy  educated  as  he  had 
Zl  he  wished  extremely  to  see  his  godmother,  to  pene- 
trate  nto  the  bosom  of  a  Jay  family;  and  he  commumcated 
tS  dele  to  Appolon,  who  had  been  admitted  at  the  same 
toe  as  he ;  and  was  urged  by  him  to  try  by  all  means  to  make 
hSelf  known  to  her,  representing  that  the  renewal  of  h.s 
ac7-tance  with  the  wife  of  a  counsellor  nnght  prov.  v^^^^^ 
beneficial  to  him.     Roman  had  a  very  high  opmion  of  Appo 
ion's  advice,  and  of  his  knowledge  of  the  world,  and  .as 
nleased  that  he  approved  of  the  plan. 

The  first  time  a  holiday  occurred  after  the  consultat.on. 
Romkn  asked  leave  to  visit  the  Counsellor  Haraldm 

"What  business  have  you  with  Counsellor  Hara Ida,?  said 
the  teacher  on  duty,  with  a  sneer  in  his  voice  that  roused 
R:„2:f blood;  but  he  answered  respectfully  in  the  plural, 
as  well-bred  people  always  do. 


26 


Roman  the  Reader 


"Tlie  Counsellor's  wife  is  my  godmother !" 

"Thou  liest!"  was  the  reply;  "how  could  she  happen 
to  be  your  godmother,  when  they  live  here,  and  your  father 
serves  in  the  country?" 

"Her  husband  served  at  our  place  also,"  said  Rom^n; 
"he  was  the  Stanovoy;  and  Katerina  Antonovna  stood  for 
me  fifteen  years  ago." 

"A — ah!  hm!"  said  the  teacher;  and  he  thought,  *A 
Counselloress's  godson  !  upon  my  word ! ' — "  Well,  get  you 
gone.  Behave  yourself  decently,  I  humbly  beg;  and  if 
I  find  you  have  deceived  me — the  threshold!^  Do  you 
hear?" 

Roman  murmured  an  answer;  his  heart  beat  high  while 
the  teacher  wrote  his  name  on  the  pass,  without  which  no 
one  can  leave  the  Seminary  for  fear  of  being  called  a  truant 

"Come  along,  lad!"  said  Appolon,  almost  as  pleased  as 
Roman  himself;  he  was  a  good-natured  boy;  "we  must  get 
you  up  a  bit  I'll  give  you  some  of  my  pomatum,  and 
lend  you  my  gloves:  only  mind  you  bring  me  something 
good !" 

"  Of  course !"  said  Roman,  as  he  threw  off  his  coat,  and 
commenced  a  tremendous  ablution.  "Listen,  Polia!"  he 
continued,  with  his  face  all  over  a  thick  lather,  and  his  eyes 
tightly  screwed  up,  "what  shall  I  say  to  them,  now  that  I 
have  got  leave  to  go  ?     I  feel  quite — you  know — " 

"Nonsense!  fiddlesticks,  brother!  Wash  yourself  tho- 
roughly, and  then  we'll  speak  on  that  subject  Round  your 
throat !  your  nape  !  sloven  that  you  are  !" 

Rom^n  obeyed,  and  succeeded  in  "cleaning"  himself  to 
his  friend's  satisfaction.     Appolon  was  a  bit  of  a  beau,  and 

*  Floggings  are  inllicled  on  the  threshold  of  the  room  in  seminaries. 


Roman  the  Reader 


27 


liked  to  have  everything  as  smart  as  the  rules  and  notions 
f  the  Seminary  would  permit     He  had  a  httle  store  o 
11  appendages  to  the  toilette  as  many  of  the  Semmartsts 
Td  never  seen,  and.  very  few  possessed.     Eestdes  a  clothe  - 
b  ush,  and  a  large  ivory  comb,  small-toothed  on  one  stde 
and    arge-toothed  on  the  other,  he  had  a  tooth-brush  and 
a  pound-pot  of  clove-pomatum;   two  needles,  and  a  skem 
of  black  and  white  thread;   stamped  envelopes    d.rec^d    o 
his  grandfather,  in  the  old  man's  hand;  and  oth-  Property 
which  gained  him  the  title  of  the  "Semmary  L.bmberg,    the 
name  of  a  well-known  dandy  of  the  Government  town 

When  the  clothes  had  been  thoroughly  brushed  and  beate^^ 
.nd  a  most  generous  supply  of  pomatum  apphed  to  Romans 
^t  Appolon  handed  him  a  pair  of  cotton  gloves  and  began 
Zt^^^^^^^  instructions  how  to  behave,  and  what  to  say 
RoLn  became  impatient,  and  did  not  pay  much  attention  to 
the  latter  part  of  the  lesson,  said  he  should  be  late,  and  ran 
away     wL  Appolon   shouted  after  him,  "And  mmd  you 
Z' ^pour  your  tea  into  tl^  saucer,  nor  turn  the  cup  upstde 
down  when  you  have  done  !" 

"All  right!"   answered  RomJin,  from  the  bottom  of  the 

''^Katerina  Antonovna,  the  Counsellor's  wife,  was  very  sur- 
prised  to  see  her  godson,  and  very  agreeably  surpnsed  to  find 
him  a  nice-looking  and  tolerably  well-spoken  boy     She  gave 
him  a  very  kind  welcome,  asked  him  to  stop  all  day  at  her 
hie,  anZintroduced  him  to  her  children_a  boy  of  s.xteen, 
Itwo  little  girls  of  twelve  and  eleven.    A  quarter  of  an 
hour Tufficed  to'make  him  (eel  quite  at  his  ease;  the  young 
Haraldins  were  pleasant  and   talkative,  and  ^^-wedj™  aU 
sorts  of  games  and  amusements,  of  which  he  had  hardly  an 


28 


Roman  the  Reader 


idea.  He  had  never  spent  such  a  deh'ghtful  day  in  his  life. 
Alexandre  Haraldin  was  a  gymnasist,  full  of  the  new  ideas  of 
progress,  civilization,  emancipation,  and  liberty  of  thought  that 
have  become  the  rage  in  Russia  during  the  last  eight  or  nine 
years,  or  so;  he  enchanted  Romhn  with  his  eloquence,  and 
was  in  his  turn  enchanted  by  the  attention  and  respect  with 
which  his  god-brother  drank  in  every  word  he  said.  It  is  true 
that  Rom^n  did  not  perfectly  understand  all  that  he  heard; 
and  indeed  it  required  an  ear  accustomed  to  the  jargon  that 
Alexandre  made  use  of  to  follow  his  ideas.  As  for  the  little 
girls,  they  were  lady-like  quiet  children ;  they  seemed  quite 
to  feel  with  their  brother,  and  occasionally  joined  in  his 
rhapsodies. 

After  dinner — such  a  dnmer  as  the  humble  guest  had 
never  beheld — Katerina  Antonovna  proposed  a  drive,  and 
Romkn  had  the  satisfaction  of  standing  on  the  zapiktka^ 
with  Alexandre,  and  dashing  rapidly  through  the  principal 
streets  behind  a  pair  of  restive  well-fed  horses.  Madame 
Haraldin,  the  little  girls,  and  a  guest,  occupied  the  sledge, 
covered  with  a  handsome  velvet  rug  with  a  bear-skin  lining. 
The  Seminarists  who  had  leave  of  absence,  and  who  happened 
to  be  walking  in  the  streets  through  which  the  Haraldins 
passed,  recognised  Gideonoff,  and  envied  him  from  the  bottom 
of  their  hearts. 

Before  tea,  the  young  ladies  played  duets  on  the  piano — 
another  novelty  for  Romkn;  and  after  tea,  at  which  meal 
he  did  not  forget  Appolon's  injunctions,  the  whole  lamily, 
Counsellor  and  all,  played  at  "  biographical  loto." 

When  he  took  his  leave,  the  Counsellor  patted  him  on 
his  back,  called  him  a  molodetz,2  and  bade  him  come  to 


^  A  sort  of  shelf  at  the  back  of  a  slecl2:e. 


^  Fine  fellow. 


Roman  the  Reader 


29 


..  T.P  liked      Godmamma  added  a  few  kind 

^^S^rrrSter  or  for  the  worse  that  t^s  had 

V     I  ch  a  turn?    Romkn  was  quite  elated ;  and  the  whole 

T2tl  recr Lion  was  passed  in  describing  to  Appolon 

1  hie  the  furniture,  the  costume  of  the  lad.es,  and  eve^- 

,         2.  that  could  be  described,  with  as  much  of  the 

'       La    he  could  remember.    Appolon  came  to  the 

conversation  a    h    <=-  ^^  ^  ,,,y  learned  and 

::rf:mt :':  c'^ratul^ed  his  fHend  on  his  having  met 
with  so  kind  a  reception. 


Roman  the  Reader 


31 


CHAPTER  II. 

THE  Counsellor  and  his  wife  were  so  truly  kind  and 
hospitable,  and  their  children  so  friendly,  that  Romhn 
soon  became  sincerely  attached  to  them.  He  gradually 
became  more  polished  in  his  manners,  expressed  himself 
better,  and  was  very  popular  in  the  circle  of  which  Alexandre 
was  leader,  and  which  was  composed  of  the  brightest  lads  of 
his  class,  and  the  most  vehement  supporters  of  the  new  ideas. 
They  used  to  read  and  criticize  the  best  journals,  got  up  little 
"literary  evenings,"  and  joined  with  all  the  eagerness  and 
enthusiasm  of  youth  in  the  universal  joy  which  the  prepa- 
rations for  the  great  change  in  the  serf-class  caused.  Of 
pohtics  they  never  spoke,  nor  did  they  care  for  them.  Politics 
involved  questions  regarding  other  nations,  and  their  business 
was  with  fatherland !  Nationality  was  the  hobby.  Every- 
thing must  be  Russian — Sclavonic :  and  one  of  the  principal 
reasons  that  they  took  so  warmly  to  Roman  was  because 
he  was  a  son  of  the  Orthodox  Church;  a  real  thorough- 
bred Russian,  without  anything  foreign  in  him.  He  did  not 
think  it  necessary  to  confess  that  he  was  doing  his  utmost 
to  learn  French. 

In  two  years  Roman  was  another  being.     No  longer  the 
timid,  awkward,  country  scholar;   but  a  sufficiently  self-pos- 


sessed  youth,  with  plenty  of  conversation,  well-read,  and  well- 
mannered.    As  for  his  personal  appearance,  he  was  called  by 
the  ladies  "a  most  interesting  young  man."     Perhaps  my 
readers  may  understand  the  kind  of  face  his  was,  if  I  call  it 
well-proportioned.     Not  one  feature  was  handsome   but  the 
whole  formed  a  singularly  pleasing  countenance ;  rather  cur  y 
liaht  hair,  a  sun-burnt  fresh  complexion,  and  exquisite  tee  h 
helped  to  make  him  better  looking  than  he  really  was.       A 
proper  youth  and  tall,"  his  friends  called  him ;  "  the  Russian 
type-"  "real  Russian  nature ;"-but  people  always  do  app^y 
these'  terms  to  good-looking  and  prepossessing  persons.    He 
was  looked  on  in  the  Haraldins'  house,  and  by  Alexandres 
party,  as  the  representative  of  the  Seminary  of  the  "young 
strenrth"  of  the  Orthodox  religion.     There  was  much  truth, 
but  also  much  enthusiasm,  in  the  feeling  of  the  little  coteru; 
fortunately,  Rom^n  had  the  good  sense  not  to  be,  nor  to 

appear,  conceited.  ,  c      a 

He  had  been  home  twice  during  this  period,  and  found 
everything  in  its  old  state.     He  tried  to  initiate  Nad.a  into 
the  "  spirit  of  the  times ;"  and  she  assented  to  all  he  said, 
but  was  no  more  imbued  with   the  said  "spirit"  than  the 
Deacon  was.      All  that  she  thoroughly  comprehended  was 
her  brother's  ardent  desire  to  be  useful  to  his  foUow-cteatures, 
and  to  establish  schools  in  his  future  parish,  if  there  were 
not  any;  and  he  proposed  that  NadLa  should  live  with  him, 
.nd  be  the  mistress  of  the  girls'  school.     This  proposition 
pleased  her,  and  at  length  became  a  sort  of  idk  fixe.    She 
tried  her  skill  in  teaching  on  a  neighbour's  child,  after  Romin 
had  returned  to  town,  but,  either  from  the  stupidity  of  the 
pupil  or  the  inexperience  of  the  teacher,  nothing  came  of  it 
This  she  communicated  in  a  verj' short  note  to  her  brother; 


/ 


I 


,2  Roman  the  Reader 

the  perusal  of  which  caused  lowness  in  his  spirits  for  some 

minutes.  mi  v- 

«  Now  look  here !"  he  said  to  Appolon,  who  was  still  his 
faithful  friend,  and  the  receptacle  of  all  the  impressions  he  got 
out  of  the  Seminary;  "this  is  a  fact:  a  fact,  I  repeat,  wortliy 
of  remark !  Read  that !"  and  he  walked  up  and  down  the 
room  in  an  agitated  manner,  while  Appolon  read  as  follows  :- 

•   «  Dearest  Brother,  Roman  DMiTRifviTCH, 

"  I  congratulate  you  on  your  approaching  names-day, 
wishing  you  heakh;  we,  thank  God,  are  well,  which  we  also 
wish  you,  and  tyatinka  and  maminka  give  you  their  blessing, 
which  can  never  be  taken  away;  and  I  began  to  teach  Ivan's 
Dounka  to  read,  but  she  cried,  and  it  was  no  use  continuing. 

"  Your  sister, 

"Nadejda  Gideonoff." 

«  Hm  !  this  young  lady  has  never  been  to  the  Institution,  I 
presume!"  said  Appolon,  smiling;  "but  there  is  an  absence 
of  paper-mania,  which  ought  to  delight  you  reformers.  Short 
and  distinct,  my  friend  !  What  do  people  write  letters  for?  to 
communicate  their  ideas  to  their  correspondents  ?  Yes.  Well 
then,  here  you  are,  you  know " 

"  Will  you  please  to  hold  your  tongue?"  cried  Romkn,  vexed. 
"  Words  and  words,  nothing  but  words !  Hear  me,  brother ! 
This  is  where  it  is  bitter !"  and  he  thumped  his  broad  chest. 

"  Now,  Heaven  help  me  !  I  don't  understand  one  word !  be 
explicit,  lad :  what  is  it  all?" 

Roman,  thus  taken  down  (as  he  frequently  was)  from  his 
state  of  exaltation,  explained  the  matter  in  plain  Russ. 

"What's  to  be  done?"  was  the  genuine  national  reply. 
"  Nonsense,  brother !  what  can  that  poor  girl  do  alone?    Be 


Roman  the  Reader 


33 


M. .    Has  she  ever  seen  a  school  in  her  life?  has  she 
reasonable !    Has  she  ^^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^ 

Z  rcrorfCe": e-  acts  from  other  people.    Ah. 
^t7«^'of  Roman's  impatience  was  that  no  cold 

cK?bu  o  e  a  Jcalled,  when  the  eldest  son  of  the  Haraldms 
rfro.  Ka.n,  ^^  ^J^o r  ^rw^^^^^^ 
^^':^'^^^^  eldest  sister,  whose  hus^ 
W  had  a  ;arish  about  two  hundred  versts  from  town,  and 
before  he  returned  to  the  seminary  they  received  the  news  of 
thfgood  Deacon's  death,  which  occurred  very  suddenly  frorn 
a  trie  fever.    Sadly  down  at  heart  poor  ^or^^^^^^^f^ 
eturn  to  Q— ,  and  to  seek  consolation  in  he  house  oh^ 
friends  whose  kindness  had  been  so  umform  and  sincere  from 
re  dt;  he  had  presented  himself  to  his  godmother.    Michael 
HaraMin  and  he  soon  began  talking  of  the  subject  most  m^ 
Sng  to  each-their  respective  places  of  education;  and 
these  conversations  were  often  renewed.    The  student  listened 
^tLinte  est  to  the  account  Rom.n  gave  of  the  system  of 
eaching  in  the  Seminary.     He  dwelt  particularly  on  the  diffi- 
cl  y  many  of  the  pupils  found  in  ^^S'"^.  *- 7"^;,^°  ^^ 
™oDer  state  of  seriousness  previous  to  takmg  Holy  Orders, 
Td      tt  utter  unfitness  of  some.    He  confessed  that  at  times 
he  suff  red  from  qualms  of  conscience,  as  to  whether  he  we  e 
reany  fit  to  be  a  priest,  and  touched  on  the.  awful  responsibility 

of  that  calling.  ..     .»  eo;.q   Mirhael 

.-If  you  have  any  doubts  on  the  subject,    «^d  M^^'; 
..you  had  better  give  up  all  thoughts  of  entering  the  Church, 


34 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


35 


do  not  you  think  so  yourself?"  and  he  looked  inquiringly  into 
Roman's  eyes  through  his  spectacleS"-(why  do  students  almost 
invariably  wear  spectacles  ?)-resting  his  chin  on  the  palm  of 
his  hand,  and  his  elbow  on  his  crossed  knees. 

Romkn  could  not  find  an  answer  for  a  moment.  "What !" 
he  at  length  exclaimed,  "not  enter  the  Church  !  How  am  I  to 
live,  then?" 

"  As  you  please.     As  you  can." 

^*  But  I  have  just  lost  my  father.  My  mother  and  sister  look 
to  me  for  support.  I  am  the  only  son;  my  father  left  us 
nothing  but  a  small  house  and  its  contents— what  can  I  be, 
what  am  I  fit  for?" 

"Do  not  be  in  too  great  a  hurry,  Romkn  Dmitri^vitch. 
Neither  you  nor  I  can  decide,  here,  in  a  few  moments,  what 
you  ought  to  do,  or  what  you  are  fit  for.  Take  time  to  reflect. 
Consult  with  your  OAvn  heart  and  conscience ;  ask  yourself  if 
you  wish  above  all  things  to  be  a  priest,  and  compel  yourself 
to  give  an  answer — a  clear  honest  answer !" 

"  I  never  thought  of  being  anything  else,"  replied  Romhn, 
with  a  gesture  of  impatience.  "We  are  like  the  Levites,  you 
know.  We  sons  of  the  clergy  are  born  and  brought  up  with 
the  prospect  before  us  of  following  the  same  calling  as  our 
fathers,  grandfathers— ancestors,  in  fact :  we  grow  up  with  the 
conviction  that  Priests,  Deacons,  or  Readers  we  must  be.  Our 
parents  do  not  approve  of  our  becoming  laymen ;  many  will 
not  give  their  blessing  to  such  sons  as  feel  an  insurmountable 
aversion  to  the  Church— fancy  that !  Perhaps  the  fellow  might 
make  a  very  good  military  man,  civil  servant  of  the  crown,  or 
something;  but  if  the  father  deprives  him  of  his  parental 
blessing,  what  can  he  do  but  be  ordained?  And  then  our 
marriages.     I  do  not  suppose  you  would  find  half  a  dozen 


fathers  or  mothers  in  our  whole  diocese,  but  would  sooner  see 
their  son  married  to  the  ignorant  daughter  of  a  country  Reader, 
than  to  an  educated  girl  of  the  nobles.  But  there !  what's  to 
be  done?  And  the  Consistory,  and  the  Vladika?i  they 
cannot  endure  departure  from  the  Church.  Lastly,  finally,  and 
in  conclusion,  the  Church  will  give  me  daily  bread,  without 
which,  alas  !  man  cannot  live." 

"  Daily  bread,"  repeated  Michael  Andre'itch ;  "  what  were 
your  hands  given  you  for?  Work,. lad!  find  employment; 
copy  papers,  teach,  sweep  the  streets,  bake  your  Maily  bread' 
yourself!  but  again  I  repeat,  do  not  take  vows  upon  you  which 
will  be  a  burden  to  perform." 

**  I  do  not  say— I  did  not  say,  ever,  that  the  vows  would  be 
a  burden.  I  only  say,"— and  he  turned  his  glowing  face 
towards  the  picture  of  St.  Nicholas  in  the  corner,—"  help  me, 
Lord  !  to  be  Thy  faithful  Pastor  !— such  as  he  was  !"  he  said 
to  Michael,  pointing  to  the  picture,  and  sitting  down  again, 

still  crossing  himself. 

"  Then  where  are  your  doubts  ?  By  your  own  account,  you 
are  going  to  enter  the  Church  just  for  daily  bread.  Now  that 
is  a^'sin,  brother;  a  sin,  a  horrible  sin,  on  your  soul  1  Is  it 
possible  that  you  never  thought  of  that  before  ?" 

"No,"  whispered  Rom^n.  To  Michael's  astonishment  and 
confusion,  he  perceived  two  great  tears  trickling  down  Romkn's 
cheeks,  with  more  in  his  eyes  ready  to  follow  them.  He  felt 
sorry,  and  yet  pleased  that  his  god-brother  was  touched  to  the 
quick  by  his  arguments.  He  put  his  arm  round  Roman's 
neck  as  if  he  were  a  woman  or  a  child. 

"Forgive  me,  brother,"  (Romkn  was  weeping  copiously;) 
"I  did  not  mean  to  hurt  your  feelings.  Only  think  before  you 
1  One  of  tiie  titles  given  to  the  Archbishop.     It  means  sovereign. 


36 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


37 


f 


decide.  God  grant  you  may  decide  to  be  a  Priest— a  faithful 
Pastor,  as  you  say.  You  see  we  students  are  open-spoken 
people— we  can't  endure  routine— we  want  conviction.  And 
you  and  I  have  a  right  to  be  candid  with  each  other :  we  are 
god-brothers,  Romkn  Dmitrievitch !" 

They  grasped  each  other's  hands.  "I  will  consult  Ivan 
Petrovitch,"  said  Rpm^n,  in  a  few  moments. 

"One  of  your  teachers?" 

"No;  my  brother-in-law,  a  very  conscientious  excellent 
man,  old  enough  to  be  my  father ;  and  very  nearly  as  fond  of 
me,  I  do  beheve,  as  my  late  father  was.  He  is  always  building 
castles  in  the  air  for  me.  Yes!"  said  Romkn,  suddenly 
brightening,  as  if  he  had  recollected  something  all  at  once; 
"there  is  one  thing  (as  we  have  touched  on  the  subject)  that  is 
always  revolting  to  me — marrying  for  a  place.  No  !  if  it  were 
for  a  ten-thousand-roubles-a-year  place,  I  would  not  consent  to 
marry  any  woman  unless  I  liked  her,  respected  her— in  a  word, 

loved  her." 

"And  what  do  you  mean  by  marrying  for  a  place?" 
"Do  not  you  know?  Oh,  that  is  one  of  our  systems,  one  of 
our  ways  of  getting  our  maidens  provided  for.  For  instance,  a 
Priest,  with  an  unmarried  daughter,  dies.  Well,  she  may  be  a 
nice  amiable  girl  that  any  one  might  be  glad  to  have  for  a  wife; 
she  may  be  elderly  or  ugly ;  worse  still  if  she  be  ill-tempered 
or  in  bad  health.  The  Consistory  knows  every  bride  in  the 
diocese;  besides,  the  mothers  send  petitions  to  the  Vladika, 
bef^ging  that  a  bridegroom  may  be  found  for  her  daughter. 
The  candidate  for  the  place  is  informed  that  if  he  chooses  to 
take  the  girl,  the  place  is  his ;  a  married  man  gets  a  refusal  at 

Qnce though,  to  be  sure,  if  he  knows  that  there  is  a  bride 

there,  he  does  not  think  of  asking  for  it." 


"Good  God!"  cried  Michael,  "what  an  abuse  ^>    Go  on, 

brother !" 

«  The  candidate  thinks,  '  Wlio  knows,  perhaps  the  girl  may 
please  me,'  and  off  he  sets,  perhaps  some  hundreds  of  versts, 
to  look  at  her.  There  are  cases  on  record,  that  candidates 
with  mothers  and  orphan  brothers  and  sisters  on  their  hands 
have  not  been  able  to  make  up  their  minds  to  such  conditions. 
And  the  position  of  the  poor  girl-what  must  be  her  feelings? 
Other  candidates,  just  for  the  sake  of  '  daily  bread,'  as  I  say, 
marry  cross  old  frights,  for  whom  nobody  sued  during  the  life- 
time of  the  father :  and  I  leave  you  to  imagine  the  domestic 
happiness  that  is  to  be  expected.     It  is  a  fact." 

"  Is  it  possible  ?"  murmured  Michael,  shaking  his  head. 
"And  sometimes  the  girl  is  pretty  and  agreeable;  the  fellow 
absolutely  falls  in  love,  thinks  himself  a  happy  man,  marries, 
and  finds  himself  mistaken.  Yet  some  of  these  marriages  prove 
very  happy ;  but  it  is  an  exception  to  the  general  rule." 

"  I  never  happened  to  hear  of  this  horrible  plan  before.     I 
am  astonished  at  its  being  permitted  by  the  authorities." 

"Not  only  permitted,"  cried  Romkn,  who  had  his  "fever" 
on  him,  "  it  is  one  of  the  greatest  evils  that  exist  in  the  eccle- 
siastical  class.     It  extends  even  to  Readers.     But  wait  a  bit," 
he  continued,  setting  his  teeth  and  clenching  his  fist,  "their 
turn  will  come  !  give  us  time !     We  must  have  reform  too ;  we 
need  it,  God  knows,  more  than  all  your  lay  departments  of 
service  put  together.'* 
"  Be  cautious,  brother !" 
"  If  I  had  not  my  poor  weak  mother,  and  a  sister  who  is 

1  By  an  Imperial  Ukase  of  the  22d  May,  1867,  this  custom  was  pro- 
hibited, as  well  as  the  long-established  rule  of  places  descending  from  father 
to  son,  or  from  one  relative  to  another. 


w 


II 


! 


I 


[ 


H 


38 


Roman  tJie  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


39 


likely  to  remain  a  Chrisfs-bride  aU  her  life,  I  would  not  care 
for  anything?    I  »<;«/</ speak  out!" 

«  Sh-sh !  that  will  do,  brother !    We  all  have  our  causes  of 
complaint-in  the  University  too.    But  if  we  were  to  talk  t.l 
midnight  we  should  not  have  done.   Enough  of  this  for  to-day ! 
Come  into  Mamasha's  room." 

Here  the  new  friends  tried  to  converse,  to  rally  Agnessa 
Haraldin,  a  lively  coquettish  girl  not  long  returned  from  the 
Smolny  monastery  at  Petersburg,  who  used  to  practise  fiirtmg 
on  her  god-brother,  pour  passer  le  temps,  and  who  had  a  very 
bad  fit  of  the  black  dog  that  evening;  but  all  the  party  were 
dull,  and  it  was  not  till  Alexandre  returned  from  an  expedition 
with  another  gymnasist  that  they  revived  a  little.  Rom^n 
returned  to  the  Seminary  early,  and  in  a  very  unsettled  and 

miserable  state  of  mind. 

This  lasted  for  some  days.     He  could  not  fix  his  mind  on 
his  tasks,— and  it  happened  that  he  had  to  prepare  for  the 
"homily  lecture,"   le.   lesson  on  sermon -writing.      Nothing 
entered  his  head  \  he  was  absent,  irritable,  and  intensely  dis- 
satisfied with  himself.    Appolon,  who  adored  him  outright,  was 
wretched,  and  began  to  fancy  that  Roman  had  lost  his  heart 
to  Agnessa  Andreevna.     He  took  an  opportunity  of  pump- 
ing him,  and  got  scolded  and  snubbed  thoroughly ;  but  he  had 
the  satisfaction  of  hearing  the  ungallant  youth  bestow  such 
epithets  on  the  young  lady  as  convinced  him  his  fears  were 
unfounded :  he  called  her  a  frozen  turnip,  a  fashion  picture, 
"  Honey-Sugarovna,"  and  insisted   on   Appolon  taking  back 
his  words.     The  end  of  it  all  was  that  he  opened  his  heart  to 
his  friend,  and  told  him  all  that  had  passed  between  the 
student  and  himself     Appolon  advised  him  not  to  talk  to 
that  "  worldly "  fellow  any  more,  to  forget  it,  and  all  other 


A  ,r.  cro  on  wlth  hls  studles,  and  to  do  his 

he  had  any  station  yet.     Ihat  u  ne  ic 

l„  i.  ,J».io„  H.  parent.  -  P^^f„  :[  ^^^^^ 

r;    ,    i  f    n".  ^E^pir.,  »d  hi.  ^  as  ope.  » 
iZ^n:  b..  he  remained  .b.,i...e,  IC  p.«e.ce,  and  a, 

'":.r»n;e:the..-~..Ubec...d.a„a.heh.»ed 

awav  with  a  veiy  red  face  and  bright  eyes. 

ILandre  Haraldin,  who  had  finished  the  course  at  the 
gymnasL,  was  to  go  with  his  brother  to  K.zan  and  en 
L  University  also.    The  day  of  partmg  --;^«;"^ 
promised  to  write  to  Romkn,  and  miplored  him  to  keep  mi 
Z\\.  "convictions;"    to  work  in  the  good  cause.       What 
a  J     popTTe  will  make!"  exclaimed  Alexandre;  steppmg 
backto  gaze  with  affectionate  interest  at  him,  and  appealing 
,°  t^  Ilk  brother     Michael  did  not  reply ;  but 

•    :  Uirmrn  "tLn  they  said  good-bye,  and  s.d 
Z  Iho  Jd  be  interested  to  hear  how  he  got  on,  and  how 

''rmroLsionally  visited  his  godmother  after  her  sons' 
depa°mre;  but  he  felt  himself  out  of  place  without  youths 
oh  own  a^^e.  Agnessa  was  not  the  girl  to  please  him,  ev  n 
in  Titer  y  sort  of  way;  and  Katerina  Antonovna  could 
not  bu  perceive  the  indifference  with  which  he  regarded 
W  and  observed  with  increasing  anxiety  the  vexation  and 
e'n  tearf^-t  Roman's  occasional  boyish  disputes  caused 


:i;  ' 


40 


Romm  the  Reader 


her  daughter.  It  was  not  very  difficult  for  the  mother  to 
find  out  the  real  cause,  and  the  kind-hearted  woman  was  at 
a  sad  loss  how  to  act  for  the  best  without  injuring  Agnessa 
or  hurting  her  godson's  feelings— in  a  word,  to  prevent  his 
frequenting  the  house,  without  his  knowing  why  it  was 
necessary.  She  was  on  the  point  of  telHng  her  husband 
all  her  mis<nvings,  when  a  circumstance  occurred  that  altered 

eveiything. 

One  morning  the  Haraldins*  servant  announced  to  his 
mistress  that  a  priest  wanted  to  speak  to  her.  The  Counsellor 
was  at  the  Governor's,  and  Katerina  Antonovna  told  the 
visitor  so.  He  said  his  name  was  Ivan  Mironoff,  from  Boo- 
gorki,  and  that  he  had  particular  business  with  the  Counsellor; 
five  o'clock  was  appointed  for  a  meeting,  and  at  that  time 
the  Priest  again  came.  After  mutual  introductions,  he  said, 
with  an  abruptness  that  almost  amounted  to  incivility,  that 
he  had  important  business  to  consult  about,  and  that  the  facts 

were  these — 

"You  have  a  son  at  the  University,  Andre'  Michaelovitch?" 
"Two,  batioushka,"    answered   the   Counsellor,   who  was 
mildness  personified,  and  who  did  not  quite  like  the  stern 
and  haughty  manner  of  his  visitor. 

"Two?  indeed!  Well,  the  fact  is  this,  that  one  of  them, 
a  student  at  the  University  of  Kazan,  has  been  upsetting 
my  young  relative,  Rom^n  Gideonoff,  who  has  been  in  the 
habit  lately  of  frequenting  your  house,  and  I  do  not  know 
what  to  do  with  him.  The  fellow  was  making  first-rate 
progress  at  the  Seminary,  and  was  thought  highly  of,  as  I 
hear  from  the  Rector.  We  all  hoped  that  in  due  time  he 
would  get  a  first-class  certificate,  be  ordained  a  priest,  and 
thus  procure  means  for  his  aged  parent  to  pass  her  latter 


Roman  the  Reader 


41 


years  in  peace  and  comfort.    When,   qmte   unexpectec^y 
coSnued  the  Priest,  rising  from  his  seat    and   p  acmg  a 
oTded  paper  in  the  Counsellor's  hand,  "  I  received  th.  letter 
^iM!in which  he  declares  himself  -^^  - ^^^^^^^^^ 

ast  week  I  received  a  private  letter  from  the  ^  Rector-an 
old  ^end  of  mine-saying  that  the  affair  was  hkely  to  go 

too  far     So  I  came  here." 

Here  he  handed  another  letter  to  the  Counsellor,  and 

""'NoTmost  excellent  Sir,  allow  me  to  represent  that  your 
son    by  his  ill-timed  and  ignorant  interference,  has  rumed 
h";  boy,  and  with  him  his  newly-widowed  mother  and  a 
IterM  will  be  dependent  on  him,  and  are  now    v,^nle 
h  r  affairs  are  yet  unsettled  after  the  death  of  the  Deacon 
ivin..  on  the  small  pittance  that  the  four   sons-m-law  can 
sp":  fL  their  little  purses.    Consequently,  I,  as  Romans 
eW    t  brother-in-law,  demand  reparation  from  you  as  repre- 
nta  ive  of  your  son  ;-not  money !    God  forbid !  but  adv.ce, 
pri  t  ^al  adJce;  and  I  further  demand,  that  if  my  endeavours 
rSiuade  him  from  this  new  notion  are  fruitless,  you  w.l 
findrm  a  suitable   place.  Sir.    That's  all.    My  respects! 
„  you  wish  to  communicate  with  me.  you  can  hear  of  me 

^'^rclSor  too.  the  cigar  out  of  his  mouth;  he  did 
.      not  exactly  understand  what  his  son  had  been  guJty  of 

H  beg  J  the  Priest  to  sit  down  again ;  and  havmg  preva.led 
■      fn  hS  to  do  so,  told  him  that  he  had  no  idea  of  anythmg 

"the  sort  having  taken  nlace;  that  he  regretted  extremely 


t^ 


42 


Romhn  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


43 


11 


I    f 


I 


:i 


that  any  transactions  in  his  house  should  have  given  offence 
to  the  relatives  of  his  wife's  godson,  to  whom  his  whole 
family  was  much  attached,  but  that  he  did  not  consider 
himself  responsible  for  his  son's  opinions. 

The  Priest  was  beginning  an  angry  reply,  but  the  Counsellor 

went  on — 

"I  repeat,  I  do  not  consider  it  my  business  at  all,  bati- 
oushka;  but  to  show  my  good-will  to  the  young  man  himseli, 
and  to  his  mother,  who  was  a  very  obliging  neighbour  to 
us  at  Elenovka,  I  will  do  what  I  can  for  him." 

Father  Ivan  at  once  became  cheerful  and  courteous; 
thanked  Andre  Michaelovitch  very  heartily,  and  remained 
to  drink  tea.  The  whole  evening  was  passed  in  animated 
conversation,  the  principal  subject  of  which  was  what  they 
had  best  do  with  Roman.  They  parted,  having  discovered 
that  at  Boogorki  there  was  an  influential  person  with  whom 
the  Counsellor  had  been  intimate  some  years  before;  and 
to  him  it  was  decided  Andre  Michaelovitch  should  write, 
and  beg  him  to  give  Rom^n  employment  for  a  time,  while 
a  suitable  situation  was  being  found.  Father  Ivan  particularly 
wished    that    he    might    not   remain    at    Q 


— ,  where    the 

Counsellor  might  have  established  him  with  more  certainty 
and  less  trouble,  but  the  brother-in-law  evidently  wanted  to 
have  the  youth  under  his  own  eye. 

The  letter,  conveyed  by  Father  Ivan  himself  to  the 
personage,  received  a  favourable  answer ;  the  formalities  were 
soon  concluded,  and  Rom^n  found  himself  at  Boogorki  in  a 
most  unpleasant  position.  His  brother-in-law  wished  him 
well,  and  meant  kindly ;  but  the  constant  hints  and  reminders 
that  he  threw  out  irritated  Rom^n;  and  although  they  had 
no  open  quarrel,  in  a  month's  time  he  had  hired  a  small 


room  for  himself  in  an  artisan's  house,  on  the  pretext  that  it 
Isnearer  the  schools ;  he  paid  three  roubles  a  month  for  u 
with  dinners  and  suppers  from  the  artisans  table.  He  re 
:    ed  five  roubles  a  month,  and  his  ^--s  -re  to  e„P^y 

...self  in   the   ^^ ^ ^ ^"^ Z  nTa 

the  choristers   smgmg.     His    spare   ume,    ''         . 

tne  cuuiisLt  o    o  1 :,  c-fnrliPQ  mviii^  pnvate  kssons 

littlp  he  spent  in  keeping  up  his  studies,  givin^  pnv 

T;     oTthree  merchants'  sons,  and  in  writing  a  30ur„a^^ 

extracts  irom  which  he  occasionally  sent  to  h.s  fr.ends  the 

""^t'tuer  he  received  from  them  in  answer  to  that  he 
Jtet  inform  them  of  the  change  in  his  career,  gave  h.m 
lolrt  and  courage,  and  a  degree  of  zest  for  h.s  new  ceo. 
paL  (which  he  did  not  like  at  all),  and  reconciled  h.m 
rSle  L  his  fate,  with  ---^  not  altc^-  -- 

that  he  did   not   possess,  and   that  was  enough   to  make 
^l  feel  unsettled-at  any  rate,  uesettled   untd   he  could 

r1  pride  what  it  was.  , 

'T  Inot   take  upon  myself  to  describe  the  anger  -d 
indignation  of  the  Deaconess  when  she  heard  of  Romans 
having  left  the  Seminary.     Nadia's  lot  was  harder  than  ever 
Id  L   stanovoy's  wife,  who  had  always  been  very  kmd 
10  her   bec^an  to  think  how  she  could  manage  to  separate 
e  I'th J  and  daughter  for  a  time    in  order  to  g.e  the 
one  a  rest,  and  the  other  time  and  occasion  to  feel  the 
Tnt  and  ;alue  of  her  daughter.     So  she  one    ay  adW 
Pavla  Lavrentievna  to  think  about  findmg  a  trade  for  Nad^a 
and  of  giving  up  part  of  her  immense  farm  stock.     Of  course 
the  Deaconess  turned  on  her  tears  directly. 


44 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


45 


I!     ' 


"Okh!  matinka,  Tatiana  Alexandrovna !"  said  she,  "your 
words  and  advice  are  like  pearls !  Tell  me  what  to  do, 
my  beauty!  Who  will  buy  my  poultry?  judge  for  yourself! 
The  beasts  and  birds  bind  me  hand  and  foot !" 

Tatiana  Alexandrovna  advised  her  to  fatten  them,  and 
then  freeze  them  in  the  autumn;  and  it  quite  enlivened 
the  old  lady  to  hear  that  a  goose  would  bring  her  fifty 
kopecks  at  least,  and  a  turkey  about  a  rouble,  at  the  town 
market.  Tatiana  then  heard,  for  the  sixth  time  at  least, 
a  doleful  complaint  of  Roman's  conduct,  ended  by  the  very 
inquiry  that  she  wished  to  elicit — "what  she  must  do  to  live?" 

"  The  best  thing  I  can  think  of  is  for  you  to  send  Nadejda 
Dmitrievna  to  town — to  Boogorki,  that  is — to  learn  some 
handiwork  that  is  not  likely  to  go  out  of  fashion,  and  for 
you  to  keep  house  at  home  and  take  in  lodgers :  for  instance, 
either  of  Ignaty  Sylvesterovitch's  clerks  would  be  thankful 
for  such  a  nice  clean  lodging,  and  would  pay  you  at  least 
a  rouble  a  month." 

This  also  pleased  Pavla  Lavrentievna.     The  next  question 
was,  what  trade  Nadia  should  learn.      She  remembered  a 
sergeant's  wife  at  the  nearest  town,  who  used  to  quilt  silk 
counterpanes  in  a  pattern  like  cockle-shells,  for  all  the  eccle- 
siastical brides  that  had  married  during  the  last  twenty  years ; 
and  she  thought  it  would  be  a  profitable  thing ;  but  Tatiana 
Alexandrovna  represented  that  the  sergeant's  wife  had  already 
an   apprentice,   that  weddings  were  not  so  frequent  as  to 
give  constant  employment  to  two  persons;   and   she  voted 
for  weaving   table-linen,  which,   after  many  objections,  and 
an  evident  preference  on  the  Deaconess's  part  to  the  cockle- 
shell quilting,  as  being  a  superior  occupation,  was  selected. 
Tatiana  Alexandrovna  was  going  to  Q in  a  fortnight's 


■ime    ..a  sh=  ».dotook  to  place  N.<i»  «  Eoogo.U  -Uh 
ZZt,    Father  Ws  wife,  .»d  ■«  <^'-\  .^"Ee™"' 

t".r:e»t.o»»-»---i-rrr 

.  i.trl^ies  ■  bv  this  arrangement  Romkn  and  his  sister 

rh:its:rrhran;:c^^^^^^^^ 

;:^  st  warLte  of  happy  excitement  and  confusion  that 
1  S  all  and  infectious  to  witness;  and  at  the  same  time 
her  mSngs  about  her  costume,  her  manners,  and  conversa- 

T  rTsed  many  a  hearty  laugh  to  her  good-natured 
uon,   caused   many  J       ^^^.^^^^^   ^^^  ^^^.^^^^^^  ^^ 

Thrand  S:."  satisfaction  was  greater  suU.     She  did 
not  he  i  ate  to  tell  him  the  utmost  particulars  of  their  mothers 
"  e    nTdisappointment,  and  her  own  grief  and  tears   when 
SeTlvan  inlrmed  them  of  his  being  a  layman.     Roinan 
warmuch  distressed,  and  implored  her  to  spare  him-  o  have 
.nd  to  say  no  more  on  the  subject;  altogether  he 
C:S       d  ^learted  and  miserable,  and  looked  so  pale, 
Z  Nadia  was  quite  uneasy  about  him.    And  every  day  he 
becametore  and  more  convinced  that  he  had  made  a  great 

"'sot  after   Kadinlca  arrived  at   Boogor.i,   J-  -miesto 
of  the  celebrated  19th  February,  1861,  was  pubhshed.    Ihe 
°  o  kmen  of  the  iron-rolling  and  chain-cable   works   there 
TrLTcrown  serfs,  now  almost  free  men,  began  to  receive 
InTn lease  of  wages-double,  treble,  and  tenfold,  m  pro- 


M 


f 


I 


[  !•  ?• 


46 


Roman  the  Reader 


portion  to   their  skill  and  merits.      The  clergy,  backed  by 

the   civil  authorities,  seized   the   opportunity,  and  got  up  a 

subscription  for  the   erection   of  a  new  church,  which  was 

much  wanted.     The  population  was  16,000,  and  there  were 

only  two  churches,  one  of  which  was  very  small.      Besides, 

the  RaskoP-  was  making  great  progress  in  one  particular  part 

of  the  town.     The  upper  classes  of  regular  church-goers  were 

desirous  of  enlarging  the  cathedral;  but  the  general  feeling 

among  the  workmen  was  a  wish  to  establish  a  permanent 

place  of  worship  on  a  favourite,  and  it  would  seem  favoured, 

spot  at  the  extreme  end  of  the  town.     There  had  been  a 

hamlet  there  when  first  the  iron-works  were  established,  but 

buildings  had  been  added  to  both  Boogorki  and  Kliutch,^ 

and  at  last  they  united  into  one  large  town.     At  the  foot 

of  a  very  steep  and  sudden  hill  was  the  source  of  a  rivulet, 

the  waters   of  which  were   held  in  great   repute  for  their 

softness    and    limpidity,   and    people  from   a   distance   even 

used  to  send  for  it  to  drink.     Immediately  over  the  bubbling 

source  there  existed  from  time  immemorial  a  tiny  chapel, 

consecrated  to  St.   Nicholas,   a  very  favourite   saint  among 

the  Russians ;  so  tiny  was  it  that  a  dozen  people  formed  a 

crowd  in  it.     Traditions   of  the  salubrious   qualities  of  the 

water,    and   of  the   singularly  gracious  answers  to  prayers 

offered  in  the  chapel,  caused  the  spot  to  be  much  frequented 

by  the  devout  and  sick;   and  on  the  two  holidays  in  the 

year  that  are  dedicated  to  St.   Nicholas,  the  concourse  of 

people  was  immense.     It  was  here   that  vox  populi  voted 

unanimously  for  the  building  of  a  church,  in  remembrance 

of,  and  in  gratitude  to  Almighty  God  for,  the  Liberation 

of  1863. 

> 

'  Schism.  '  Kliutch  means  a  fountain,  spring,  or  source. 


Roman  the  Reader 


47 


The  subscriptions  amounted  to  a  far  greater  sum  than  the 
Committee  expected  in  their  most  sangume  moments  The 
S  wa  not  cLed,  and  they  hoped  that  during  the  t.me  the 
Wldin/was  going  on,  an  additional  sum  might  be  ^.sed  f^ 
'^e  ilt^rior  fittings  and  adornments^  The  -  -t  '.^^- 
draw  a  new  and  larger  plan,  with  ^uejegard  to  the  means 
Sected  which  was  signed  by  the  members  of  *e  C"ttee 
aSy  sent  to  Q—  for  the  approbation  and  blessmg  of 

*;t:t?Tt-one  ,,e.  brie.)  was  laid  very  privately  or>e 

""';  I   arch  tecTth     contractor,  the   clergy,  and  our 
Si     He  ha     b  en  the  most  successful  collector ;  Ins 
Jiulnli.  and  pleasin.  address    his  ca.ab^  o    b.ng 
like  a  noble  with  the  nobles,  and  a  peasant  wi 
nlTn,  rendered  him  the  person  of  ^^f^^^^^^^^^ 
in  so  difficult  and  delicate  an  errand;  and  he  entered  mto 
he  affair  with  all  the  fervour  natural  to  h>s  d.sposmon.    The 
loir tme  the  building  was  going  on,  his  evenmg  rambl  s 
Tver    aim"  t  nvariably  directed  to  the  tufty,  birch-covered  h.U 
:Sh  showed  like  a'little  shady  park  from  over  the  roofs  of 

the  log-houses  near  it.  ^^^^^^ 

The  work  went  on  rapidly ;  ^seeK  oy  wcck 
hileLndhigher,  theroofwas  put  on,  the  cross  and  bdls  were 
aulstTaised!  ead.  with  a  similar  short  ceremony;  the  floor 
wa  tid  down;  and  finally,  the  tiny  old  chapel,  round  which 
;:  lurch  wa's  built,  and  which  had  remained  untouched 
all  the  time,  was  entirely  removed,  and  the  space  left  m  the 

floor  by  its  absence,  filled  m.  ,        ^  •  -Uo/i 

The  interior  of  the  church  was  still  in  its  rough  unfimshed 


-1 


u 


If . 


48 


Roman  the  Reader 


state ;  but  matins  and  acathistus  were  constantly  performed  in 
the  new  chapel. 

Roman  was  naturally  thrown  among  the  clergy  much  more 
than  into  the  lay  society  of  Boogorki.  There  were  several 
excellent  men  among  them,  who  deeply  regretted  that  the 
Church  was  deprived  of  so  intelligent  and  conscientious  a 
servant  ks  they  supposed  Romh-n  might  have  been.  Each 
knew  the  grief  that  his  decision  had  caused  his  family,  and 
the  absolute  poverty  that  it  brought  on  them  and  on  himself. 
He  contrived  to  economise  his  earnings  in  such  a  manner 
that  he  was  able  to  send  occasional  presents  to  his  mother, 
who  could  not  accustom  herself  to  the  screwing  system  at 
all;  she  had  lived  all  her  life  in  comfort  and  plenty,  ac- 
cording to  the  ideas  of  her  class.  Rom^n  had  been  at 
Elenovka  twice  since  he  left  the  Seminary,  performing  the 
seventy  versts'  journey  on  foot;  but  the  Deaconess's  tears 
and  reproaches  might  have  wounded  a  less  sensitive  heart 
than  his,  and  his  reflections  were  by  no  means  satisfactory : 
his  visits  only  irritated  the  one  and  distressed  the  other,  and 
the  only  person  to  whom  they  brought  real  pleasure  was 
Nadia. 

Roman  had  been  resident  at  Boogorki  about  a  year,  when 
the  Counsellor  offered  him  a  place  at  Soligamsk,  as  assistant 
to  the  post-master.  It  was  a  step  towards  rank,  it  is  true ; 
but  Sohkamsk  was  so  far  off,  the  place  itself  so  very  uncertain, 
and  the  salary  so  very  trifling,  that  he  was  advised  by  his 
friends  not  to  accept  it.  The  Counsellor  felt  hurt,  and  declared 
he  would  never  do  anything  more  for  him ;  but  Rom^n  did  not 
know  this,  and  it  was  well  he  did  not.  Soon  after  the 
Counsellor  retired  from  service. 

Nadinka   had   proved   a   remarkably  apt  pupil  with   the 


Roman  the  Reader 


49 


among  the  ««•  »'  ,"«  """  '  ^„  ,„  ,  ™itio„  to  rai.e 
fe„  .11  q."ter^  and  ,oo„  "'f  "^  "  ^.^^^.j  „  Wng 

v^     Pavla  Lavrentievna  had  got  accuswiu.; 
her  price.    Pavla  J.av  ^^     ,3  absence;  and  was  so 

rather  less  idle  during  her  dau  titer  s  loyment. 

glad  that  the  latter  had  -^^f  J^,  "^iJs  herself, 
that  she  voluntarily  ^^'^^l^^^Tlr,.,  clerk,  a  par- 
The  parlour  was  let  to  the  «t^^°:°  ^^^  ^^de 

tition  having  been  put  up-h.chdr.ded  ^^^^^^^^^^ 

two  apartments  out  of  ^^^- .^''H^^l  ^^  ^he  whole  house 

*'^  ••  *^  ""''^  TtLCt  P^rLavrttievna  from  much 
all  the  year  round,  thus  savin  ^^^^^^  ^^^^ 

trouble,  and  amounting  m  'f^r^^^^         ^^  receiving  in 
teen;  but  the  Russian  is  fond  of  paymg 

"  kind,"  as  they  call  it.  ^^^  ^^^^^ 

The  Deaconess  ^  ^d  ^^^   ^1::,^  country  parish;  but 

sr;:x:nh:tTe-^-^^^^^^^ 

-?r  tft^"  lartbrrXfom  for  Kadia,  for 

raui:"  .St,  she  f.t  ^^^Z'^^z 

mildest  expression,  extremely  P^^"'  ;"  ^^^  ,^^ 

candidates  for  the  Deacoi^s  ^^^^^^^  jU  of  a 

did  not  relish  the  ^^^f^^Z]  then  Nadia  cried  so 
refusal  on  *e  P-t^^f  *e  bnd^^  ^^^  ^^  ^^^^ 

Zf^:^r^^  -novka,  Wn-s  godfather,  advised 


50 


Roman  the  Reader 


m 


her  not.  The  Deacon  who  was  appointed  to  the  vacancy 
accepted  the  situation,  with  the  conditions  that  he  was  to  pay 
the  widow  of  his  predecessor  a  pension  of  three  roubles  a 
month  until  her  son  should  finish  his  education;  but  on 
Roman's  becoming  a  layman,  this  pittance  was  withdra^vn, 
and  therefore  Tatiana  Alexandrovna  proposed  the  plan  which 
had  so  well  succeeded. 

Father  Ivan,  who  was  himself  almost  as  energetic  and  ardent 
as  his  young  brother-in-law,  having  exhausted  all  his  eloquence 
on  him  during  that  memorable  visit  to  the  Government  town, 
had  then  and  there  pronounced  a  solemn  vow  that  henceforth 
he  would  never  speak  to  him  on  the  subject,  nor  help  him  to 
get  back  into  the  road  to  Holy  Mother  Church,  nor  persuade 
him  to  return  thither.  The  first  part  of  this  rash  exclamation 
— for  it  was  little  more — he  certainly  did  observe,  avoiding  all 
direct  conversation  on  the  subject,  but  occasionally  indulging 
in  an  inuendo  or  sneer.  But  his  affection  and  good-will 
towards  Romkn  were  deep  and  sincere ;  and  he  managed  with 
some  difficulty  to  bring  the  Protopope^  of  Boogorki  to  the  con- 
viction that  the  young  man  was  ruining  himself  for  life ;  and 
besought  him,  as  Pastor  of  his  flock,  to  speak  a  word  to  him — 
to  bring  back  the  lost  sheep.  The  Protopope  was  very  aged 
and  infirm,  and  had  of  course  much  experience;  he  repre- 
sented that  there  were  plenty  of  ecclesiastics  without  Roman ; 
that  he  was  going  on,  as  far  as  he  could  learn,  very  steadily 
and  satisfactorily,  and  advised  not  unsettling  and  worrying 
the  young  fellow  a  second  time;  but  at  last  he  himself  was 
convinced,  as  I  said  before,  that  he  would  be  doing  a  good  act 
if  he  dissuaded  Romkn  from  his  present  calling.  He  liked 
Rom^n  personally,  and  was  highly  sr.tisfied  with  him  as  regent, 

1  High  Priest 


^^V. 


Roman  the  Reader 


51 


>i 


or  singing-master  of  the  choir.     In  a  word,  he  and  all  the 
cler-y  of  Boogorki  joined  in  a  sort  of  conspiracy  agamst 
Roman,  and  they  took  every  opportunity  to  win  him  back  to 
fie  fold.      For  some  months  he  was  in  a  state  of  painful 
indecision;  worldly  fears  of  being  thought  a  weak  character-^ 
an  easily-persuaded  person-mingled  with  sincere  doubts  as 
to  his  own  fitness  to  be  even  a  Reader.     There  was  now 
no  other  way  of  becoming  a  priest  but  by  serving  as  ponomkr 
(reader)  and  deacon,  first     It  would  perhaps  take  many  years 
to  gain  the  goal.     If  the  truth  must  be  told,  he  never  ceased 
to  regret  that  he  had  not  finished  the  course  at  the  Seminary; 
and  it  was  a  mistake  too,  on  the  part  of  his  friends :  they 
ou-ht  to  have  insisted  on  his  completing  his  education  there, 
and  then,  if  he  felt  unwilling  to  enter  the  Church,  he  might 
have  still  entered  the  civil  service,  with  a  right  to  rank,  from 
which   his  present   position  precluded   him  until  a  certam 
number  of  years  of  service  entitled  him  to  it.     The  Protopope 
at  last  told  him  outright  that  if  he  chose  to  go  to  Elenovka 
for  a  month   or  two   as   ponomar   (lay  reader,   unordamed 
reader),  to  get  into  tlie  way  of  it,  he  would  give  him  an 
opportunity  of  being  consecrated,  by  sending  him  with  Father 

Ivan,  who  was  going  to  Q for  the  Antimins,  or  com- 

munion-cloth,!  for  St.  Nicholas'  Church,  which  was  to  be 
consecrated  as  soon  as  that  indispensable  appendage  to  'the 
Greco-Russian  altar  was  received;  and  promised  to  keep 
him  as  regent  until  an  opportunity  occurred  for  him  to  take 
Deacon's  orders. 

1  Pnests  and  Deacons  only  can  touch  this  consecrated  thing :  laymen  and 
even  Readers  may  not  lay  their  hand  on  it.  It  is  brought  from  the  Arch- 
bishop  in  a  case  made  for  the  purpose,  which  is  worn  on  the  breasTof  the 
bringer  during  his  journey. 


'i! 


t 


r 

r 

1 

i 

ill 

3 

1 

1 

52  Roman  the  Reader 

This  was  said  soon  after  Christmas.     Rom^n  counted  his 
money,  and  found  that  he  had  seven  roubles  in  hand  and 
a  month^s  wages  to  receive.      It  was  not  much,  certainly ; 
but  he  determined  to  raise  a  little  more  by  the  sale  of  his 
lay  costume-for  he  had  made  up  his  mind.      But  before 
he  offered  his  coats  and  paletots  for  sale,  he  ordered  the 
ecclesiastical  garments  with  long  skirts,  and  bespoke  a  belt 
at  the  girls'  school  to  be  worked  in  Berlin  wool.     His  land- 
lord, a  cutler  and  locksmith,  presented  him  with  a  clasp  for 
it  of  his  own  workmanship,  which  was  not  the  only  gift  he 
had  bestowed  on  his  lodger,  the  first  being  a  steel  walking 
staff,  and  the  other  a  seal  of  very  curious  workmanship ;  both 
were  offered  as  keepsakes  on  Roman's  name's-days.     When 
the  whole  costume  was  ready,  he  presented  himself  to  the 
Protopope,  and  said  he  had  decided  to  take  his  High  Rever- 
ence's advice.     He  trusted  that  his  determination,  to  which 
he  had  not  come  without  many  tears  and  many  prayers,  would 
be  blessed,  and  that  the  feeling  of  unworthiness  under  which 
he  still  laboured,  might  become  less  painful  when  he  entered 
in  earnest  into  his  new  work.    The  Protopope  and  other  priests 
commended  his  humility,  and  comforted  and  encouraged  him. 
On  the  whole,  he  was  more  at  peace  with  himself  than  he  had 
been  for  nearly  two  years ;  he  could  honestly  say  that  he  did 
not  regret  leaving  his  lay  position,  he  only  regretted  the  past, 
and  the  two  years  that  he  considered  he  had  lost. 

Pavla  Lavrentievna,  instead  of  receiving  her  son  with  the 
rejoicings  over  "the  sinner  that  repenteth,"  "the  prodigal 
son,"  (for  as  such  she  regarded  him,)  that  would  seem  but 
natural,  sneered  at  him  for  being  only  a  ponomkr,  and  drew 
odious  comparisons  with  what  might  have  been  had  he 
lemained  at  the  Seminary.     All  this  and  many  other  dis- 


Romdn  the  Reader 


53 


a^reeables  he  took  as  the  crosses  he  was  bound  to  bear  m 
his   holy  calling.      His    natural  sharpness  and   mtelligence 
rendered  the  learning  of  his  duties  a  mere  trifle  accustomed 
as  he  was  to  constant  attendance  at  church.     In  a  months 
time  he  returned  to  Boogorki  with,  a  letter  to  the  Protopope 
from  Father  Petre^  his  godfather,  saying  that  he  considered 
him  ready  for  any  place  in  the  blagotchinie  as  Reader.     The 
Protopope  desired  him  to  do  his  devotions  dunng  the  fourth 
week  in  Lent;  and  after  the  strengthening  and  refreshing  of 
his  soul  by  Holy  Communion  he  was  to  be  sent  to  Q 

for  the  Antimins.  -u  •    „^^  fr. 

On  his  arrival  there,  he  first  of  all  made  his  obeisance  to 
his  old  friend  the  Rector,  who  received  hina  with  open  arms, 
and  shed  tears  of  happiness  on  seeing  him  in  clerica   costume 
He  inquired  with  interest  into  the  history  of  Romans  return 
to  the  Church,  gave  him  his  blessing    and  P-^ed  tha^ 
his  business  should  be  quickly  done  for  him:    Thanks  to 
the  Rector,  he  had  scarcely  any  deaUngs  with  the  Consistoiy, 
and  consequently  his  little  purse  remained  almost  untouched, 
as  he  was  not  obliged  to  open  it  to  satisfy  the  demand 
of  secretaries,  clerks,   and  even  door-keepers.      When    the 
solemn  day  arrived  for  his  ordination,  he  fe  t  cahn  and  very 
,     happy.    After  the  benediction  of  the  Vladika,  his  luxuriant 
hair  longer  than  it  was  when  he  was  a  layman,  was  snipped  by 
His  Eminence  cross-wise  in  four  places,  with  the  words      In 
the  Name  of  the  Father,"  "And  of  the  Son,"  "And  of  the 
Holy  Ghost"    "Always,  now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever  and 
ever."    And  all  present,  at  each  pause,  said  "  Amea" 

A  short  garment,  something  like  a  large  tippet,  which,  like 
everything  in  and  connected  with  the  rites  of  the  Greco- 

»  Russ.  ior  Peter,  pronouced  Feortre. 


* 


I 


i!     \ 


1 


54  Roman  the  Reader 

Russian  Church,  has  a  mystical  meaning,  signifying  the  yoke 
that  the  future  servant  of  the  Church  has  taken  upon  himself, 
was  placed  on  his  shoulders,  also  by  the  Vladika. 

It  was  in  a  firm  clear  tenor  that  Romkn  the  Reader  intoned 
the  Epistle  of  the  day  in  the  awful  presence  of  the  Arcl> 
bishop.  It  seemed  to  him  as  though  the  visible  benediction 
he  had  just  received  had  given  him  fresh  strength  and 
courage  to  "grasp  the  sword  of  Heaven;"  he  felt  indeed 
ready  and  "  nothing  loth 

Body  and  soul  to  live  and  die 
In  witness  of  his  Lord, 
In  humble  following  of  his  Saviour  dear." 

But  when  the  Archbishop  put  the  candlestick  into  his  hand— 
the  symbol  of  his  calling,  for  in  the  language  of  the  Church 
the  Reader  is  called  a  candle-bearer— it  was  with  difficulty  he 
could  restrain  his  tears. 

But  he  went  through  it  bravely;  and  was  met  at  the  chapel 
door  by  a  few  old  friends,  now  "  theologians,"  i.e.  pupils  of  the 
last  class,  who  expected  ere  long  to  be  priests,  or  students  in 
the  University.  Appolon  Voskresensky  was  of  course  the 
foremost  to  congratulate  Romkn,  and  dragged  him  off  to  the 
lodging  of  one  of  the  theologians  not  on  the  foundation,  where 
he  had  prepared  a  little  congratulatory  feast,  consisting  of 
vodka  (of  which,  alas !  these  theologians,  philosophers,  and 
even  the  youthful  third-class  rhetoricians,  are  far  too  fond), 
tea,  and  minced  cabbage  pies.  Appolon  informed  Romkn 
that  he  had  a  rich  bride  in  view,  an  only  daughter ;  and  that 
her  papa  was  so  fond  of  him  that  he  had  promised  to  give  up 
his  place  to  him,  on  condition,  of  course,  that  he  would  marry 
the  daughter.     Rom^n  asked  if  she  were  pretty. 


Roman  the  Reader 


55 


«  M yes !  that  is,  she'll  do  well  enough  for  us  pnests.' 

"Thou  art  not  in  love,  brother]"  asked  Romkn,  smihng. 
«Not  yet    Love,  may  it  please  your  Reverence,  is  non- 
sense !    But  I  intend  to  be  agreeable  to  her  as  soon  as  I 
have  done  with  all  this  bother.    IVe  no  time  to  fall  m  love 

'"n  found  to  his  great  regret  that  the  Haraldins  had 
removed  to  some  place  in  Little  Russia,  where  Michael  had 
a  peace-mediator's  appointment.  Agnessa  was  J^amed  to 
somebody  there;  no  one  knew  exactly  to  whom.  The 
Haraldins  seemed  almost  forgotten. 

Father  Ivan's  precious  commission,  after  several  delays, 
was  at  last  delivered  to  him;  and  Romkn  set  out  with  him 
on  his  journey  back  to  Boogorki,  where  they  were  met  with 
congratulations  and  triumph  again.  The  Consecration  was 
fixed  for  an  early  day. 


CHAPTER  III. 

ROMAN  had  had  several  commissions  entrusted  to  him  to 
fulfil  at  Q ,  among  which  was  a  list  of  books  for 

the  schoolmaster,  his  former  chief,  who  had  taken  great 
interest  in  his  affairs  all  along,  and  had  always  been  friendly 
and  kind  to  him.  As  soon,  therefore,  as  the  necessary  inter- 
view with  the  Protopope  had  taken  place,  he  set  out  with  the 
parcel  to  M.  Artemin's,  who  met  him  in  the  entrance  with 
congratulations  and  good  wishes,  and  smilingly  requested  him 

to  return  both. 

Romkn  did  so,  and  naturally  asked  the  reason. 

"  God  has  given  us  a  son,  Romkn  Dmitridvitch,"  was  the 

answer. 

"  Ah !  glory  to  God  I** 

"Yes;  and  you  have  come  very  opportunely,  for  all  the 
people  in  the  house  are  in  a  state,  you  see,  and  I  am  looking 
after  the  other  little  ones.  Come  into  my  cabinet,  and  peep 
at  them.  Ah,  thank  you,  thank  you  very  much,"  he  said, 
as  Roman  placed  in  his  hands  the  heavy  parcel.  "  Come 
and  have  a  glass  of  tea  with  us,  and  tell  me  all  about  your 

doings." 

They  entered  the  cabinet  and  shut  the  door  gently  behind 
them.    The  breakfast  was  laid  on  a  card  table,  where  two 


Roman  the  Reader 


57 


.  ^  ,„  he,  hand  »..  c»*«  »  *    ~P«       „,  ,„;., 

"'^^"'"  .P    Flena  Philipovna  is  always  anxious  to 

"Why,  you  see,  Elena  i-nup  ^^.^^  ^^^ 

have  'the  prayer'  read  as  soon  as  p^bl.      ^^^^  ^^  ^^^^ 

born  yesterday  --f'./;^',  ^^^  , I  trouble  Father  Peregrin, 
last  night ;  but  really  I  d^  not  hke  o  ^^  ^^^^  ^^^ 

at  such  a  late  hour.    So  when  you  „ 

rather  an  amusing  circumstance  ^^^^          ^.^^  ^^^ 

« Yes,  to  be  sure.     Well   now  ^^  ^y  ,,„e  off? 

what  was  done  with  you  at  Q ?  "o^  " 

Without  any  extra  bother,  I  trust'  ^^^^^^ 

"  None  whatever,   thank  God !  I   am  per  e     y 

^■t;^n  •  the  only  drawback  was,  that  1  touna 

with  my  expedit on,  the  only  ^^  ^^^^^^^  ^^^ 

my  godmother's  fanny  had  left  Q  ^^^^  .^ 

-*'  ^:  "°tS    m     If    cJ:Ltes   for    priest's   or 
own   class,   far    behmd    mj  se  ,  ^^^^^  ^  ^^^^ 

r;:r;nC:-TLbTeacon.   as  proud  and  important 


58 


Roman  the  Reader 


as  mortal  can  be  to  serve  the  person  of  the  Vladika,  and 
ordering  me  about  as  if  I  were  a  crosier-bearer!  What  a 
fool  I  was,  Boris  Andr^itch !— and  am  still,"  he  added,  relapsing 
into  his  low  spirits. 

"No  such  thing!  You  acted  impulsively,  certainly;  but 
the  impulse  was  a  good  one,  an  honest  one.  You  are  not 
the  only  good  man  who  has  altered  his  opinion,  Romkn 
Dmitrievitch.  For  God's  sake,  forgive  yourself,  and  forget 
all  you  may  have  to  regret  in  your  past  life.  You  have 
done  all  you  could  to  repair  what  you  consider  your  errors. 
Be  happy,  lad!  be  content! — that's  the  word,  eh?  Have 
another  gla:s?'* 

"No,  thank  you.  I  will  go  at  once  to  Father  Peregrin's. 
Good-bye." 

"  Till  we  meet  again,  Romkn  Dmitrievitch." 

"Who  knows?  Perhaps  I  may  read  the  prayer  to  Elena 
Philipovna  next  time?"  he  said,  opening  the  cabinet  door 
after  it  had  closed  on  him,  and  peeping  in  with  his  old 
bright  face. 

Boris  Andr^itch  laughed,  "  Merci !  We  have  enough :— at 
present,"  he  added,  with  the  reverence  of  the  Russian  for 
the  children  God  had  given,  or  might  give  him. 

The  new-bom  infant  lies  swaddled  in  its  dark  liulka,  the 
convenient  though  by  no  means  ornamental  cradle  of  the 
babes  of  Russia.  A  four-sided  bag  of  ticking  is  strongly  sewn 
to  a  frame  of  wood,  which  has  an  iron  ring  at  each  comer 
through  which  are  passed  leather  straps,  and  by  them  the 
liulka  is  suspended  to  the  extremity  of  a  long  pole,  the 
other  end  of  which  passes  through  a  ring  fastened  in  the 
ceiling,  and  which  is  so  pliant  that  the  slightest  touch  given 
to  the  wooden  frame  causes  it  to  move  gently  and  noiselessly 


Roma7t  the  Reader 


59 


M 


A   ^nvvn     A  wide  curtain  of  dark  print,  or  in  very 
Z:^X^  oTtn..  hangs  .ound  the  lUUe  bed  .o. 

''a  tinMed  old  nurse  sits  by  the  liulka,  rocking  it  and 
chLrngt  a  cracked  and  sleepy  voice  a  -notonous  M^by 
She  watches  the  child  like  a  soldier  on  guard  at  a  pnson 
d    r,  and  woe  to  the  incautious  visitor  who  ex«     Oh. 
wha  a  lovely  child !    Ah,  what  a  fine  hea  thy  baby ! 

"God  bless  him!  The  Lord  be  with  him!  The  Holy 
Virl  be  about  him!"  the  nurse  would  exclaim,  ind.^antly 
Virgm  be  aoo  bewitched,  sudknna? 

T,  Z  i;?    h  d       uTave  ever  seen?    the  first  pretty 
ole       A    1  ChriJt-s-babe  of  mine!  thou  Lord's-child  of 

,   .r  to  sleep    my  General  !"i    Half  pleased  at  your 
mme !  go  to  sleep,  my  exclamations  the 

praise,  half  apprehensive  of  the  ettect  yo 

has  by  no  means  an  evil  eye,  and  never  ue 

in  her  life. 

"Well  don't  boast  I"  retorts  nurse. 

TrLys  mamma  is.  in  nine  cases  out  of  ten.^erfecUy 
well  and  of  course  as  happy  as  mortal  can  be  Ihe  on  y 
laut'ion  that  is  laid  stress  on  is  keeping  her  bed-room  as 
Zk  as  possible,  to  prevent  her  from  reading  and  working 
tinst  which  the  faculty  resolutely  set  their  faces  for  s. 
lone  weeks.  The  lady-doctor  who  attends  her,  and  lives  m 
.    Th:;;'  for  the  tlm^  insists  on  her  lying  .met  for  mne 

.  Russian  nurses  call  the  boy  infants  Curals.  in  the  hope  that  they 
may  attain  that  dig-iity  when  they  grow  up. 


it 


1 

,1' 


6o 


Roman  the  Reader . 


Roman  the  Reader 


6i 


days,  but  she  very  often  rebels,  or  gets  up  when  her  duenna 
is  asleep,  to  look  at  the  other  children  and  give  a  mistress's 
scrutinising  glance  round  the  rooms. 

Cleopatra  Vasilievna,  Elena  Philipovna's  lady-nurse,  has 
been  educated  at  an  establishment  at  Petersburg,  or  Moscow, 
has  heard  lectures  from  first-rate  professors,  and  has  a  diploma 
certifying  her  capability  and  skill  in  her  profession.  She 
may  safely  be  applied  to,  a  medical  man  being  very  rarely 
called  in ;  in  fact  his  presence  is  the  exception,  by  no  means 
the  rule.^  Such  a  lady-nurse — who  is  received  into  society, 
and  is  in  general  a  great  favourite  with  her  patients — is 
provided  by  Government  for  every  town  and  Government 
establishment  of  importance.  She  receives  pay,  differing 
according  to  the  extent  of  the  district  under  her  care;  it 
is  not  much,  but  with  the  presents  of  money  and  dresses 
that  the  ladies  make  her,  and  her  almost  constant  absence 
from  home,  and  consequently  the  non-necessity  of  keeping 
much  of  a  table  or  household,  she  is  generally  rather  well- 
to-do  than  otherwise.  Her  life,  though  passed  in  endless 
anxiety  for  the  health  and  safety  of  her  patients  and  grand- 
children (as  she  calls  the  babies),  sleeplc:s  nights  and  busy 
days,  is  a  pleasant  and  varied  one  to  her,  especially  if  she  be  a 
pet  with  the  famiUes  she  attends.  Her  duties  are  to  tend  the 
mother,  uniting  in  her  person  the  skill  of  the  medical  man 
to  the  manual  care  of  the  nurse ;  to  watch  her,  lest  any  change 
should  demand  the  aid  of  the  doctor ;  to  look  after  her  diet, 
amuse  her,  and  keep  her  quiet.  The  baby,  as  I  said  before, 
has  a  nurse  to  rock  it,  &c.  &c.  but  the  lady-nurse  always 
washes  and  swaddles  it  herself.     This  operation  is  widely 

•   1  Notwithstanding,  fatal  cases  are  of  far  less  frequent  occurrence  in 
Russia  thati  in  England. 


diir„».  torn  »  Bnsli.1.  »»1>»S  »"    ''«»"8'  "  *=■ 

bottom  for  the  -fant  *o  ^^  ^^  '  "st  't     aise  the  ears  out 
™er  is  put,  rol^d  ^P  J^  ^^f  f^^  ^„  ,„,,  ^,,pper  (by 

A  „»^tlv  ^niieezes  the  water  over  it  from  a  sponge, 
and  gently  sq"^"^^  ^,3^  j^^es  the  sponge  and 

it  is  thoroughly  soaked,  «°^J^°^y  ^^^^^^  j,  ^ell 

continues  ^'^  ^-''^  J^^att  i    aL^^  g-dually  by  the 
,,ith  her  sof^^n  .     W  ™     a      ^^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^^^^  ^^^^ 

Srrn  hod     ::  'child^on  her  palm,  and  washes  its  back 
!ld  Ae  assistant  rinses  it  from  head  to  foot  by  pounng  water 

t  from  a  lar^e  ladle  with  a  short  handle,  much  used  m 
over  It  from  a  lar.e  ^^^^^^^^  ^^_ 

Russian  '-f^«  :^t;;  tf^,^^^^^^^^       linen,  warmed, 
mediately  afterwards,  a  ^^PP"  ;*  '  ^^^^  ,^      ,der  it 

over  the  infant,  and  they  proceed  to  dry  and  tnen      1 
from  a  little  muslin  bag  of  potato-flour.  ^ 

The  clothes-if  clothes  they  can  be  called-he  on  one 
f     •     the  exact  order  that  they  are  required,  on  a 
T      ard  treZ  lay  the  baby  when  dry.     First  comes 
S^;:;::  band   mui  ^L  an  English  one,  with  the  taped 
"r  Ld  up  at  the  right  hand  of  the  nurse,  convement 


i 


62 


Roman  the  Reader 


to  swathe  the  child's  body.  Then  the  little  sliirt  (a  mere 
apology  for  a  garment),  a  linen  wrapper,  then  a  warmer  one, 
of  flannel  or  swanskin,  and  lastly  the  swaddles.  This  is  a 
long  band  of  lined  print,  or  bound  swanskin;  sometimes  it 
is  a  piece  of  crocheted  or  knitted  work,  of  about  two  yards 
in  length  and  a  lady's  span  in  breadth,  with  long  broad  tapes 
at  the  rolled-up,  right-hand  end.  The  wrappers  are  folded 
round  the  child,  head  and  all,  arranged  over  its  forehead 
like  the  napkins  in  pictures  of  Lazarus  rising  from  the  dead; 
the  arms  are  pinioned  to  the  sides,  the  legs  straightened, — 
"  contrary  to  natur,"  as  Mrs.  Gamp  says, — and  in  this  position 
the  swaddle  is  wound  round  it  neatly  in  a  spiral  manner,  and 
finally  tied  at  the  feet.  The  baby  is  then  wrapped  in  a  little 
quilted  counterpane,  or  marcella  quilt,  fed,  and  put  into  its 
liulka  to  sleep. 

Some  babies  hate  being  swaddled  from  the  day  of  their 
birth,  and  soon  learn  to  cry  the  instant  they  are  laid  flat  on 
their  backs.  Others  cannot  sleep  unless  swaddled.  They 
generally  leave  it  off  at  about  six  or  eight  months  old,  but 
many  continue  it  a  longer  or  a  shorter  period,  according  to 
the  disposition  of  the  child ;  for  it  is  a  fact  that  a  stout,  inani- 
mate child  remains  in  swaddles  till  about  a  year  old,  while  the 
lively  ones  cast  them  off  at  three  or  four  months.  They  often 
stretch  themselves  out,  and  hold  their  hands  to  their  sides, 
when  sleepy  and  desirous  to  be  put  to  bed. 

The  whole  operation  of  washing  as  thoroughly  as  any  mother 
need  wish,  or  any  baby  require,  drying  and  swaddling,  can  be 
performed  in  about  five  minutes  by  a  skilful  person ;  the  lady- 
nurse  has  taken  lessons  in  the  art,  and  the  rapidity  with  which 
she  swaddles  is  little  short  of  legerdemain.  An  ordinary 
mother  can   do  it  in  eight  or   ten  minutes,  provided  her 


Roman  the  Reader 


63 


assistant  (-generally  the  old  nurse)  is  passably  sharp  in  her 
S?'d  ways.    In  this  manner  children  are  washed  morn.ng 

::  eWtiU  they  are  able  to  sH  up  in  ^^^^-^^^^^^ 
to  dabble  and  splash  as  other  Europeans  of  their  a  e  do 
S  should  be  remarked  that  the  swaddles  are  removed  on  the 
chiSs  awakening,  except  during  the  first  week  or  two  of  Us 

^%resm,  a  baby  in  upper  clothes  until  it  is  at  least  forty 
da^  oM  is  considered  strange,  rather  improper,  and  awfuUy 
criel      After  six  weeks  they  put  a  loose  garment  of  the 
m  scuhne  gender,  called  a  roubashka  (shirt)  and  made  of 
print,  cachemire,  or  silk,  according  to  arcunjstance  ,  on  a 
mtle  boy,  with  a  bib:  a  little  girl  has  a  frock  which  has  a 
rtain  Linine  look,  a  cap  and  a  pinafore;  both  are  en- 
Xed  in  the  unbecoming  quilt,  which,  ugly  as  it  is  certainly 
I   ^es  as  a  support  to  the  tender  little  body.    Both  the  bathing 
aid  dressing  (Laddllng  excepted)  of  the  Russian  child  seem 
to  be  more  humane  than  the  lap-washing  and  tittivat.ng  of  the 
little  Briton;  but  as  neither  can  speak  from  experience  while 
babies,  nor  remember  it  when  grown  up,  the  respecUve  merits 
of  either  plan  must  at  present  remam  undecided. 

When  a  child  is  about  twenty-four  or  thirty  hours  old,  the 
Priest  is  sent  for  to  give  it  a  name,  and  to  read  prayers  on 
behalf  of  it  and  its  mother.^    His  coming  is  accompamed  by 
Tgood  deal  of  proposing  and  disputing  about  the  name  bu 
it  generally  happens  that  the  infant  is  called  after  the  Sam 
on  whose  day  it  was  born,  or  in  honour  of  some  great  saint 
whose  feast  will  soon  fall.    On  the  father's  P«^«™S/°-« 
particular  name,  the  patron  of  which  is  remembered  m  the 
>  The  lower  orders  do  not  observe  this  custom  in  general,  and  conse- 
quently  the  ensuing  service  is  entirely  passed  by  in  such  cases. 


li 


64 


Ro7nan  the  Reader 


\ 


Church  at  a  distant  period  from  the  date  of  naming,  no  im- 
pediments are  offered,  but  it  is  considered  more  pious  to  take 
the  name  that  presents  itself,  as  it  were,  for  selection. 

Father  Peregrin  attended  immediately  to  Roman's  message.- 
On  his  arrival  Boris  Andre'itch  spoke  to  him  on  the  subject 
just  mentioned,  and  having  decided  in  a  few  seconds,  led 
the  Priest  to  his  wife's  room.  Cleopatra  Vasilievna  had 
swaddled  the  baby  in  its  best  sheets,  and  wrapped  it  in  a 
silken  quilt  j  and  nurse,  whispering  prayers  all  the  time,  was 
lighting  the  litde  float  in  the  lamp  that  hangs  before  the 

picture. 

"My  respects,   Elena  Philipovna,"  said  Father  Peregnn, 

making  the  sign  of  the  cross  over  her.     "  I  congratulate  you 

on  the  birth  of  your  son." 

"  Thank  you.     How  do  you  intend  to  call  him  ?" 

"  Boris  Andreitch  and  I  have  been  consulting  about  it     I 

propose  Alexis,  as  *  Alexis,  the  man  of  God,'  will  fall  next 

week ;  but  if  you  do  not  wish  it,  there  are  Alexandre,  Conrad, 

Cyprian." 

"  No,  Alexis  is  a  good  name.  It  is  all  the  same  to  me." 
Father  Peregrin  bowed,  and  unfolding  his  cope,  which  he 
brought  wrapped  round  his  Ritual,  a  clasped  book  in  the 
Sclavonic  tongue,  put  it  on  with  an  ejaculation,  and  turning 
towards  the  picture,  began  to  read  the  prayers.  Cleopatra 
Vasilievna,  Boris  Andreitch  and  his  mother,  and  the  elder 
children,  stood  behind  him,  devoutly  bowing  and  crossing 
themselves.     Elena  Philipovna  wept  quiet  tears  of  thankfulness 

and  joy. 

There  are  two  distinct  forms  of  prayers  used  on  this 
occasion,  and  the  second,  which  answers  to  the  circumcision 
of  the  Mosaic  law,  ought  to  be  performed  in  church  eight 


i. 


Roman  the  Reader 


65 


days  after  birth.  This,  however,  seems  to  be  obsolete,  for  I 
have  never  heard  of  its  being  otherwise  done  than  in  the 
manner  I  am  now  relating.  After  the  first  form,  which  relates 
principally  to  the  mother,  with  petitions  for  her  recovery, 
thanksgiving  for  her  safety,  and  in  which  the  child  is  not  . 
mentioned  by  name,  the  second  is  commenced.  After  a  few 
preparatory  ejaculations  and  doxologies,  the  Priest  reads  the 
Lord's  Prayer,  and,  turning  towards  the  infant,  makes  the  sign 
of  the  cross  on  its  forehead,  lips,  and  breast ;  after  which, 
with  his  face  towards  the  picture  again,  he  reads  the  following 

prayer : — 

"  O  Lord  our  God,  we  pray  to  Thee,  and  implore  Thee  to 
send  down  the  light  of  Thy  countenance  on  this  Thy  servant, 
Alexis  (or  on  this  Thy  handmaid,  Mary,  for  instance),  and  be 
he  signed  with  the  cross  of  Thy  only-begotten  Son  in  his  heart 
and  mind,  that  he  may  escape  from  the  vanities  of  the  world, 
and  from  all  wicked  slanders  of  his  enemies,  and  follow  Thy 
bidding.  Grant,  O  Lord,  that  he  may  ever  keep  Thy  holy 
Name  unrenounced,  that  he  may  frequent  Thy  holy  Church, 
and  the  solemn  sacraments  of  thine  Anointed;  and  that, 
having  lived  according  to  Thy  commandments,  and  preserve^- 
the  Seali  unbroken,  he  may  receive  the  blessedness  of  tht 
elect  in  Thy  kingdom ;  through  the  grace  and  mercy  of  Thine 
only-begotten  Son.  To  Him,  with  Thy  most  holy,  good,  and 
quickening  Spirit,  be  all  blessing,  now,  henceforth,  and  for 

ever.     Amen." 

(Here  he  takes  the  child  in  his  hands— not  arms— and  holds 
it  up  before  the  picture,  making  the  sign  of  the  cross  with  it, 

and  saying) : — 

"  Hail,  blessed  Virgin,  the  mother  of  our  Lord,  who  gave 

1  The  Seal  of  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghdst 

£ 


66 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


67 


■ 

1 

I 


„ 


r 


\ 


birth  to  Christ  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  who  lighteth  those 
that  are  in  darkness.  And  hail,  O  thou  righteous  old  man,i 
who  didst  receive  into  thine  arms  the  Saviour  of  our  souls,  by 
whom  we  hope  for  resurrection." 

The  benediction  concludes  this  short  service,  and  henceforth 
the  infant  is  called  and  known  by  its  name,  or  diminutive ;  a 
word  synonymous  with  "Baby,"  as  a  proper  name,  not  existing 

in  the  Russian  language. 

In  a  day  or  two  Elena  Philipovna  received  her  lady  friends, 
who  came  to  congratulate  her,  all  very  smart.  She  herself 
received  them  in  bed  with  a  pretty  lace  cap  and  white 
cachemire  sortie  de  bal  on;  her  pillow-cases  were  trimmed 
with  embroidered  frills,  and  an  elaborately  quilted  pink  satin 
coverlet  was  thrown  over  the  usual  bed-clothes.  Unmarried 
ladies  do  not  make  these  visits.  Coffee  is  handed,  with  rusks 
or  sweet  buns,  as  it  always  is  to  a  morning  visitor. 

Romkn  felt  greatly  interested  in  this  christening,  and  called 
several  times  to  ascertain  when  it  would  take  place.  Elena 
Philipovna,  who  had  patiently  submitted  to  the  nine  days' 
ordeal  of  bed-keeping,  was  up  and  about  in  a  fortnight  as 
merry  as  a  cricket,  though  Boris  Andreitch  scolded  her  inces- 
santly for  running  about  and  doing  too  much.  On  the  Feast 
of  the  Annunciation  the  christening  was  to  come  off. 

The  godfather  provides  a  gold  cross^  about  an  inch  and  a 
half  in  length,  to  hang  round  the  child's  neck,  if  a  boy  by  a 
blue  ribbon,  if  a  girl  a  pink  one.  He  also  pays  the  Priest's 
fee.  The  godmother  prepares  a  piece  of  material  as  a  dress 
for  the  mother,  and  a  shirt  and  girdle  for  the  baby.     If  it  be 


I 


^  Simeon. 

a  We  are  speaking  of  a  noble's  family.     The  lower  classes  use  silver  or 


"brass  crosses,  which  cost  from  one  to  twenty  kopeckas. 


a  boy,  the  shirt  is  made  exactly  like  a  man's,  only  in  propor- 
tion, of  fine  nainsook,  or  Scotch  muslin,  trimmed  with  lace  and 
blue  ribbons.  A  little  girl  has  a  very  smart  shift,  or  chemise, 
trimmed  also  with  lace,  but  with  pink  ribbons. 

Baptisms  in  an  officer's  or  noble's  family  generally  take 
place  at  home.  On  the  table  in  the  large  saloon  lie  some 
waxen  tapers,  a  clean  fine  towel,  and  a  glass  of  water.  A 
small  carpet  is  laid  down  before  the  picture  (which  is  always 
in  the  corner  of  the  room,  and  of  every  room,  entrance-hall, 
kitchen,  and  laundry,  in  a  Russian  house),  and  on  it  stands 
the  font.  It  is  larger  than  the  font  of  the  English  Church, 
generally  of  copper,  silvered,  and  is  brought  from  the  church 

for  the  occasion. 

The  sponsors,  relatives,  and  Cleopatra  Vasilievna  had 
already  arrived  when  Father  Peregrin,  the  Deacon,  and 
Rom^n,  carrying  a  great  bundle  of  canonicals,  made  their 
appearance.  Cleopatra  Vasilievna  received  the  cross,  shirt, 
and  dress  from  the  sponsors,  and,  laughing  and  flirting  with 
Romkn,  arranged  them  in  the  requisite  order  on  the  table; 
while  Romkn,  humble  Reader  as  he  was,  stuck  the  three 
candles  to  the  edge  of  the  font,  superintended  the  pouring  of 
the  warm  water  into  it,  and  ran  into  the  kitchen  for  hot  embers 
for  the  censer.  Father  Peregrin  placed  the  sponsors  to  his 
mind,  and  Cleopatra  Vasilievna  took  Aleoshinka,  the  baby, 
from  his  nurse,  and  stood  by  the  side  of  the  godmother. 

There  are  four  distinct  ceremonies  performed  at  a  christen- 
ing,i  although  it  appears  to  be  but  one  service  :  these  are,  first, 

1  "  ^.  In  what  does  Baptism  consist? 

*'A.  The  believer  is  immersed  three  times  in  water,  in  the  Name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  (Short  Catechism  of  the 
Orthodox  Church.) 


I 


'.  I 


68 


Roman  the  Reader 


the  renunciation,  and  confession  of  faith ;  secondly,  the  actual 
Sacrament  of  Baptism ;  thirdly,  unction ;  and  fourthly,  the 
washing,  with  the  cutting  off  of  the  hair. 

The  service  opens  by  the  Priest,  who  is  not  yet  in  full 
canonicals,  and  has  merely  put  on  his  cope,  approaching  the 
infant  (who,  be  it  borne  in  mind,  is  completely  naked,  though 
wrapped  in  its  various  coverings  and  its  silk  quilt),  and  blow- 
ing in  its  face,  crossing  it  three  times  over  its  brow,  lips,  and 
breast.  (The  clergy  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  by  uniting 
the  tip  of  the  thumb  with  those  of  the  fourth  and  middle 
fingers,  the  laity  by  uniting  the  thumb  with  the  middle  and 
fore  fingers,  and  moving  the  hand  so  as  to  form  a  cross  in  the 
air,  but  not  as  though  a  line  were  being  drawn ;  the  movement 
more  resembles  the  gentlest  tap  imaginable.)  He  then  lays 
his  hand  on  its  head,  and  reads  over  it  a  prayer,  followed  by 
the  conjurement,  or  exorcism  of  the  devil,  in  which  the  Evil 
One,  with  all  his  angels  and  legions,  is  commanded  to  depart 
firom  the  infant;  and  another  prayer  is  addressed  to  the 
Almighty  God  of  Sabaoth  to  defend  him  from  all  spiritual 
and  bodily  harm,  and  to  grant  him  the  victory  over  all 
evil  spirits. 

He  then  blows  on  its  brow,  lips,  and  breast,  saying  three 
times,  "May  every  evil  and  unclean  spirit  that  has  con- 
cealed itself  and  taken  up  its  abode  in  his  heart  depart  from 
thence !" 

The  service  now  proceeds  similarly  to  that  of  the  English 
Church.  The  same  questions,  or  rather  questions  to  the 
same  effect,  are  put  to  the  sponsors,  but  are  repeated  thrice. 
When  the  Priest  asks,  "Dost  thou  renounce,"  &c.  both  he 
and  the  sponsors,  the  nurse  and  the  infant,  turn  their  backs  to 
the  font,  i.e.  look  towards  the  west,  where  the  sun  sets  and 


Roman  the  Reader 


69 


from  whence  no  light  proceeds,  but  on  the  contrary,  blackness 
and  shadows,!  symbols  of  the  Prince  of  Darkness;  and  on 
the  last  answer  being  made,  "/  have  renounced  him;'  the 
Priest  says,  "  Then  blow  and  spit  on  him,''  setting  the  example 
himself  by  blowing  gently,  and  making  the  gesture  of  spitting 
at  the  unseen  enemy  in  token  of  horror  and  hatred  of  him. 
They  then  turn  again  towards  the  picture  (or  to  the  east 
if  it  be  in  church),  the  other  questions  respecting  the  faith 
of  the  sponsors  are  made,  and  the  Reader  repeats  the  Nicene 
Creed  three  times  on  their  behalf.     Previous  to  each  repetition 
the  sponsors  are  questioned  again. 
P.  Have  you  confessed  Christ  ? 
S.  I  have  confessed  Him. 
P,  And  dost  thou  believe  in  Him  ? 
S,  I  believe  in  him  as  King  and  God. 
At  the  end  of  the  last  repetition  of  the  Creed,  the  admonition, 
"  Fall  down  and  worship  him,"  is  added ;  to  which  the  sponsors 
make  answer,  "  I  worship  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 
Ghost,  the  Trinity  consubstantial  and  indivisible,"  prostrating 
themselves  at  the  same  time. 

"Blessed  be  God,"  ejaculates  the  Priest,  "who  desireth  the 
salvation  of  all  men,  and  that  all  may  come  to  the  know- 
ledge of  His  truth.     Now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever.  Amen."  2 

After  a  short  prayer,  the  parents  leave  the  room,  and 
generally  retire  to  the  bed-room  to  pray  for  God's  blessing 
on  their  little  one:  they  are  not  allowed  to  be  present,  as 
it  is  supposed  that  they  give  their  child  entirely  to  its  god- 

1 

^  Michailoffsky. 

2  This  part  of  the  service  is  extremely  ancient,  mention  being  made  of 
the  exorcism  by  Tertullian  in  the  second  century,  and  of  confession  both 
by  him  and  by  S.  Cyprian  in  the  third  century.     (Michailoffsky.) 


/ 


70 


Roman  the  Reader 


parents.  This  custom  is  de  rigueur;  even  in  the  court 
ceremonials  that  are  published  in  the  newspapers  of  the 
imperial  christenings,  a  clause  is  always  inserted :  "  Note. 
— His  Imperial  Majesty  (or  His  Imperial  Highness)  will 
then  leave  the  chapel  for  an  inner  apartment."  It  probably 
dates  from  the  very  earliest  days  of  Christianity,  when  the 
parents  of  a  convert  were  generally  unbelievers,  and  conse- 
quently had  neither  the  wish  nor  the  right  to  be  witnesses 
of  a  Christian  ceremony.  The  private  opinions  of  Priests 
respecting  the  observance  of  this  custom  at  the  present  day 
seem  to  be  in  perfect  accordance  with  the  common  sense 
and  religious  feeling  that  would  insist  rather  on  the  presence 
than  the  absence  of  those  whose  prayers,  one  would  think, 
must  be  the  warmest  and  most  fervent  of  any  offered  on  the 
occasion.  Still  more  so  when  we  reflect  that  orthodox 
parents  of  the  present  day  are  answerable  for  their  children's 
religious  education,  and  that  it  is  not  left  now  to  the  sponsors, 
as  in  the  early  days  of  the  Church.^ 

The  Sacrament  of  Baptism  now  commences ;  the  Priest 
puts  on  his  full  canonicals,  made  of  a  gaudy  sort  of  brocade, 
with  gold  and  silver  woven  in  it;  lighted  tapers  are  placed 
in  the  hands  of  the  sponsors,  and  those  stuck  to  the  font 
are  lighted;  incense  is  waved  round  the  font;  the  Deacon 
and  Reader  chant  a  litany,  while  the  Priest  whispers  a 
prayer  for  himself.  This  is  followed  by  the  benediction  of 
the  water,  which  is  performed  by  the  Priest's  immersing  his 
right  hand  in  it  crosswise,  three  times,  and  blowing  on  it, 
praying  all  the  time;  finally,  by  making  the  sign  of  the 
cross  on  its  surface  with  a  little  feather  dipped  in  holy  oil, 
he  and  his  assistants  singing  hallelujah.     The  font,  being  a 

^  Michailoffsky. 


Roman  the  Reader 


71 


vessel  in  which  the  baptized  person  receives  salvation,  is  a 
symbol  of  Noah's  ark ;  the  olive  branch  brought  by  the  dove 
as  a  token  that  the  waters  had  abated,  and  a  proof  of  the 
absence  of  danger,  is  typified  by  the  olive  oil  on  the  water 
of  the  font,  which  serves  as  a  sign  that  the  child  is  saved 
from  the  taint  of  sin,  and  by  the  grace  of  God  restored  to 
a  new  life  of  holiness  and  purity.^    The  infant  is  then  anointed 
for  the  A^/  time,  but  this  is  not  the 'Sacrament  of  Unction. 
In  ancient  times,  we  are  told,  young  warriors  on  the  pomt 
of  going  to  battle  for  the  first  time  used  to  be  anointed  with 
oil ;  thus  the  new  Christian  who  will  have  to  battle  against 
the  enemies  of  his  salvation— the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil— is  anointed  as  "Christ's  faithful  soldier  and  servant,"^ 
Olive  oil,  possessing    salutary  properties,  is  here   the  type 
of  the  inner  healing  of  the  soul  by  baptism.     It  is  also 
the  symbol  of  the  grafting  in  of  the  wild  olive  tree  {U  the 
convert)   to  the.  tree   {i.e.   Jesus   Christ  ;3    Romans  xi.   17). 
When  the  Priest  anoints  the  child  on  the  brow,  he  says, 
"The  servant  of  God,  Alexis,  is  anointed  with  the  oil  of 
gladness.     In  the  Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever,  Amen;" 
on  the  breast,  "for  the  healing  of  thy  soul  and  body;"  oil 
the  ears,   "for  the  hearing  of  the  Word;"  on  the  hands, 
"Thy  hands  have  made  me  and  fashioned  me;"  on  the  feet, 
"  that  his  feet  may  walk  in  the  way  of  Thy  commandments." 

The  Priest  now  rolls  up  his  sleeves  above  the  elbows,  the 
Reader  holding  back  the  wide  sleeves  of  his  chasuble; 
dexterously  seizing  the  babe,  he  plunges  it  with  astonishing 
rapidity  into  the  water,  completely  immersing  it  three  times. 


^  Michailoffsky. 


2  Compare  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
»  Michailofisky. 


72 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


73 


with  the  words,  "  The  servant  of  God,  Alexis,  is  baptized  in 
the  Name  of  the  Father,  Amen.  And  of  the  Son,  Amen. 
And  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Amen."  And  it  is  at  the  mention 
of  the  three  Names  that  each  immersion  takes  place.^  He 
stops  its  ears  with  his  thumb  and  little  finger,  its  eyes  with 
the  fourth  and  fore  fingers  of  the  right  hand,  and  with  his 
palm  he  covers  its  mouth  and  nostrils;  with  his  left  hand 
he  holds  its  body,  and  plunges  it  face  downwards.  It  is 
not  every  priest  who  has  the  knack  of  performing  this  difficult 
task  well.  I  have  heard  that  little  innocents  have  been  known 
(though  this  a  rare  occurrence)  to  be  drowned  at  the  very 
moment  they  were  made  Christians ;  I  should  suppose,  how- 
ever, that  they  must  have  been  very  weakly,  perhaps  in  a 
dying  state,  as  a  priest  would  hardly  undertake  the  task 
unless  he  felt  himself  competent. 

The  little  Christian,  gasping  for  breath,  is  laid  face  down- 
wards in  the  arms  of  its  godfather  (if  a  girl  of  its  godmother), 
who  already  holds  the  dress  before  mentioned  for  the  mother, 
covered  with  the  child's  own  wrappings.  While  the  lady- 
nurse  and  godmother  are  covering  it  up  and  arranging  it 
comfortably,  the  Priest  washes  his  hands,  by  having  the  glass 
of  water  poured  over  them,  and  wiping  them  on  the  towel 
prepared,  singing  all  the  time  the  thirty-second  Psalm,  "Blessed 
is  he  whose  sins  are  covered,"  &c.  He  then  puts  on  the  shirt 
and  cross,  with  these  words,  "The  servant  of  God,  Alexis,  is 
arrayed  in  the  garments  of  righteousness,  in  the  Name,"  &c.; 
while  the  Reader  intones  "Grant  me  a  white  robe,  O  Thou  who 
art  clothed  witli  light  as  with  a  garment,  most  merciful  Christ 
our  God!"    The  baptized  one  is  clad  in  a  white  garment,  in 

1  In  cases  of  extreme  sickness,  sprinkling,  or  pouring  of  water,  is 
considered  sufficient. 


token  of  the  spiritual  purity  he  has  just  received  by  baptism, 
and  in  allusion  to  the  pureness  of  life  which  a  Christian  should 
observe.  In  ancient  times,  when  more  adults  than  infants 
were  baptized,  this  white  garment  was  worn  for  eighi  days 
following,  preserving  beneath  it  the  unction  of  holy  oil.  The 
cross  is  hung  on  his  neck  in  token  that  he  must  now  fulfil  the 
will  and  commandments  of  the  Crucified  One,  be  ready  to  bear 
whatever  cross  He  may  please  to  send  him,  and  to  endure  any 
misfortune  or  persecution  for  his  sake.^ 

Immediately  after^vards  the  Sacrament  of  Unction  begins.^ 
The  idea  seems  to  have  taken  its  origin  from  the  appearance 
of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  form  of  a  dove,  immediately  after 
the  baptism  of  our  Lord.  "It  is  not  sufficient,"  says  the 
learned  Bishop  Benjamin,  in  his  Novy  Skrijal,  "  for  the  new 
believer  to  be  immersed  in  water ;  he  must  be  baptized  with 
the  Spirit  also."  And  in  order  to  give  an  outward  and  visible 
sign  of  the  inward  and  spiritual  grace  conferred  by  the 
Apostolic  "laying  on  of  hands,"  the  Greek  Church  chooses 
the  form  of  anointing  with  oil,  many  allusions  being  made 
to  that  custom  in  the  New  Testament  (see  i  John  ii.  20, 
and  following  verses;  2  Cor.  i.  21,  22).  The  service  begins 
with  the  following  prayer : — 

"Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord  God  Almighty,  the  Fountain 
of  Goodness,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  shining  on  such  as 
are  in  darkness  with  the  light  of  salvation,  by  the  coming 

1  As  the  cross  might  injure  the  infant's  breast,  especially  when  swaddled, 
it  is  usually  hung  in  the  liulka  where  it  sleeps,  until  it  is  old  enough  to 
wear  it  as  other  Russians  do,  night  and  day. 

2  "  Q.  In  what  does  Unction  consist  ? 

"A.  The  baptized  person  is  anointed  with  oil,  with  the  mysterious 
words,  'The  Seal  of  the  Gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'"  (Short  Catechism.) 


1 


74 


Roman  the  Reader 


of  Thy  only-begotten  Son  our  Lord ;  and  granting  to  us  Thy 
unworthy  servants  purification  by  holy  water,  and  Divine 
sanctification  by  unction ;  and  who  hast  mercifully  admitted 
this  Thy  servant  to  regeneration  by  water  and  the  Spirit, 
and  granted  him  remission  of  his  voluntary^  and  involuntary 
sins;  grant  him,  O  Lord  and  merciful  King,  the  seal  of 
the  gift  of  Thy  all-powerful  and  adorable  Spirit — the  com- 
munion of  Christ's  holy  body  and  blood.  Preserve  him  in 
Thy  holiness,  strengthen  him  in  the  faith  of  the  orthodox 
Church,  deliver  him  from  the  Evil  One  and  all  his  snares, 
and  keep  him  by  Thy  saving  fear  in  purity  and  righteousness 
of  spirit,  that  by  every  deed  and  word  he  may  be  acceptable 
to  Thee,  and  become  Thy  child  and  the  heritor  of  Thy  kingdom. 
For  Thou  art  our  God,  the  God  of  mercy  and  salvation,  and  to 
Thee  be  glory,  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,"  &c. 

He  then  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  with  the  feather  dipped 
in  a  tiny  bottle  of  holy  oil,^  on  the  brow,  eyes,  nostrils,  ears, 
lips,  breast,  hands  and  feet,  each  time  with  the  words,  "The 
Seal  of  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  ^     The  Priest,  followed 

*  This  prayer  was  of  course  composed  at  a  time  when  adult  baptism  was 
more  frequent  than  that  of  infants. 

2  This  oil  has  been  prepared  and  blessed  by  the  Metropolitan,  and  is 
considered  to  convey  the  strengthening  grace  necessary  for  the  continuation 
of  a  truly  Christian  life.  Unction  occupies  the  place  which  confirmation 
does  in  other  Churches. 

*  The  anointing  of  the  Russian  Tzar,  who  for  the  second  time  in  his  life 
is  anointed  with  holy  oil  at  his  coronation,  generally  takes  place  at  Moscow, 
in  the  Cathedral  of  the  Assumption.  Immediately  after  the  communion  of 
the  clergy  in  the  altar,  the  royal  gates  are  opened,  and  two  archbishops 
approach  the  throne  (of  the  Emperor),  and  announce  to  him  that  the  time 
for  the  ceremony  of  anointing  and  communion  has  come.  The  Emperor, 
after  delivering  his  sword  to  one  of  his  courtiers,  descends  from  his  throne, 


Roman  the  Reader 


75 


by  the  sponsors,  still  holding  the  child,  now  walks  round  the 
font,  chanting  with  the  Deacon  and  Reader,  "  As  many  of  us 
as  have  been  baptized  into  Christ  have  put  on  Christ  (Gal.  iii. 
27) :  Hallelujah."  The  godmother  or  godfather  having  taken 
the  child,  they  again  walk  round  the  font,  with  the  same  words ; 
the  third  time,  if  there  be  two  pairs  of  sponsors,  one  of  the  other 

pair  take  it. 

Reader.— ''Vat  Lord  is  my  light  and  my  salvation,"  &c.^ 

Then  follows  the  Epistle,  read  by  the  Reader  (Romans  vi.  3,) 
"  So  many  of  us,"  &c.,  to  "  alive  unto  God  through  Jesus  Christ 
our  Lord ; "  and  after  a  few  sentences  and  doxologies,  the 
Gospel  (St.  Matt,  xxviii.  16,  to  the  end  of  the  chapter). 

The  Sacrament  of  Unction  terminates  with  the  Litany  for 
the  Imperial  Family,  the  baptized,  and  his  sponsors. 

The  ceremony  of  shaving  the  hair  used  formerly  to  be  per- 
formed on  the  eighth  day  after  baptism,  when  the  shirt  was 
taken  off.    It  begins  with  two  prayers  (though  to  the  looker-on 

and  proceeds  in  his  imperial  robes  to  the  royal  gates,  where  he  delivers  his 
crown  and  regalia  to  attendants.  The  Metropolitan  then  anoints  him  with 
holy  oil  (the  same  as  that  used  at  baptismal  unction)  on  the  brow,  eyes, 
nostrils,  lips,  ears,  breast,  and  hands,  saying,  *The  Seal  of  the  gift  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.'  Immediately  afterwards  the  Archbishop  wipes  the  places 
anointed  with  jeweller's  cotton.  The  Emperor  is  now  led  by  the  Me- 
tropolitan into  the  altar,  where  he  receives  the  Holy  Eucharist,  but  not  as  an 
ordinary  layman.  As  the  Lord's  anointed,  and  Head  of  the  visible  Church, 
he  receives  it  from  the  Metropolitan  as  the  clergy  do— /«  tJu  Altar. 
Havincr  partaken  of  the  wine  and  water  and  bread  that  is  always  eaten 
after  the  sacrament,  and  washed  his  hands  and  lips,  the  Emperor  returns 
to  his  throne.  The  Liturgy  then  proceeds,  and  finally  concludes  with  the 
prayer  for  *many  years'  of  health  and  happiness,  after  the  singing  of 
which  the  Emperor  places  the  crown  on  his  head  with  his  own  hands,  and 
on  conclusion  of  the  whole  ceremony  leaves  the  cathedral  with  it  stiU  on  his 
head,  and  his  sceptre  and  globe  in  his  hand."  (Michailoffsky.) 


76 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


77 


K  ' 


I 


it  would  appear  but  the  continuation  of  one  long  service);  after 
which  the  Priest  takes  a  small  wet  sponge,  and  wipes  the  places 
anointed,  saying,  "  Thou  art  baptized,  thou  art  sanctified,  thou 
art  anointed  with  oil,  thou  art  purified,  thou  art  washed,  in  the 
Name  of  the  Father,"  &c. 

The  little  Christian,  having  nothing  of  its  own  to  offer  to  its 
Maker  but  the  hair  of  its  head,  the  first  "sacrifice"  is  made  by 
shearing  it  1  In  ancient  times  servants  were  shorn  in  token 
that  they  must  fulfil  the  will  of  another :  thus  the  cutting  of  an 
infant's  hair  indicates  that  the  newly-made  Christian  should 
henceforth  be  servant  to  the  will  of  Christ,  from  whom  he  has 
just  received  so  many  gifts  of  grace.  ^  The  hair  is  snipped  oft^ 
in  four  different  places  at  the  top  of  the  head  with  a  small  pair 
of  scissors,  thus  forming  a  cross,  the  Priest  saying,  "The 
servant  of  God,  Alexis,  is  shorn  in  the  Name,"  &c.  The  god- 
father collects  the  morsels  of  down,  and  pinching  them  up  with 
a  bit  of  wax  from  his  taper,  throws  it  into  the  font ;  this  is 
done  merely  to  insure  that  the  hair  may,  with  the  water,  be 
tlirown  into  a  place  where  no  impurity  can  reach  it,  and  no 
foot  tread  on  it.^  If  the  little  pellet  sinks,  it  is  considered  a 
sign  that  the  child  will  soon  die.  This  ceremony  also  con- 
cludes with  the  same  litany  as  that  after  unction.  Altogether 
it  takes  about  twenty  minutes  or  half  an  hour  to  perform.  The 
whole  party,  headed  by  the  godfather  with  the  child  in  his  arms, 
proceed  to  the  parents,  and,  having  congratulated  them  on  the 
baptism  of  their  little  darling,  it  is  placed  in  its  mother's  arms. 

**  But  happiest  ye,  who  seaPd  and  blest 
Back  to  your  arms  your  treasure  take. 
With  Jesus'  mark  impress'd 
To  nurse  for  Jesus'  sake." 


^  Bishop  Benjamin. 


^  Michailoffsky. 


Ibid. 


The  baby  is  taken  by  its  happy  mother  into  the  nursery, 
swaddled  in  warm  things,  fed,  and  put  to  sleep ;  in  nine  cases 
out  of  ten  it  slumbers  soundly  for  many  hours,  which  is  con- 
sidered a  good  sign. 

The    sponsors  were    still  congratulating   each  other,   and 
Boris  Andreitch,   when   Cleopatra  Vasilievna  appeared  with 
her  beaming  countenance,  bearing  a  waiter  full  of  brimmmg 
champagne  glasses.    Fresh  congratulations,  kissings,  and  click- 
in^  s  of  glasses  ensued ;  while  Romkn,  collecting  all  the  canoni- 
cals and  the  appurtenances  to  the  Sacraments  of  Baptism  and 
Unction,  tied  them  up  in  bundles,  and  tried  to  feel  as  easy  as 
he  did  in  society  when  a  layman.     Cleopatra  Vasilievna  came 
up  to  him,  and  bade  him  drink  her  grandson's  health.     He 
suddenly  recollected  that  he  had  come  without  a  kopecka  m 
his  pocket,  and  etiquette  demands  that  those  who  drink  the 
baby's  health  should  place  a  present  for  the  lady-nurse  under 
the  glass.  1     But  there  was  nothing  to  be  done ;  blushmg  like 
a  girl  he  drank  off  the  glass,  bowing  far  too  elaborately  for  a 
Reader,  and  placed  it  on  the  waiter.     Looking  at  her  steadily 
in  the  eyes,  he  said,  "  I  did  not  know  that  champagne  is  handed 

to  a  Readerr 

«  A  Reader !  You  are  not  a  Reader  for  your  old  fnends ! 
You'll  be  Romkn  Dmitrievitch  for  me  until  you're  a  pope,  and  I 
don't  intend  to  be  married  until  you  are  ready  to  cro^vn  me  !"2 

The  good-natured  woman's  simple  heartiness  restored  his 
equanimity,  so  that  when  Boris  Andreitch  saw  him  preparing 
to  take  his  departure,  and  begged  him  to  stay  to  tea,  he  con- 
sented without  any  awkwardness  or  mauvaise  Jionte,     Tea  soon 

1  The  sum  in  an  officer's  family  varies  from  five  or  three  roubles  to  fifty 

kopeckas. 

2  Perform  the  marriage  ceremony. 


78 


^ioman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


79 


! 


followed,  and  what  is  called  a  dessert,  consisting  of  preserves 
in  glass  vases,  sweetmeats  and  dried  fruits ;  soon  after  which 
the  guests  departed. 

Such  is  the  baptismal  service  of  the  Greco-Russian  Church, 
be  it  performed  at  home  or  in  church ;  in  the  latter  instance 
it  generally  presents  a  scene  at  once  strange  and  amusing, 
notwithstanding  the  solemnity  of  the  occasion,  especially  if  the 
parish  be  a  large  one.  Nearly  everywhere  in  large  country 
towns  the  market  takes  place  on  Saturday,  but  it  generally 
extends  to  Sunday  till  noon,  and  the  greatest  concourse  of 
peasants  is  to  be  met  with  early  on  the  Sabbath  morning. 
The  opportunity  of  killing  two  birds  with  one  stone,  i.e, 
getting  the  baby  christened  and  going  to  market  either  to  buy 
or  sell,  brings  sponsors  almost  exclusively  on  Sunday  to  town, 
and  after  mass  as  many  as  forty  or  fifty  infants  are  brought  by 
their  baboushkas,^  who  seat  themselves  on  a  bench  in  the 
church,  near  the  western  door,  or,  if  space  be  wanting,  on  the 
floor,  while  mass  is  going  on.  The  cries  of  the  babies  and  the 
consolations  offered  by  the  baboushkas  do  not  at  all  interfere 
with  the  due  celebration  of  mass,  nor  the  preaching  of  the 
sermon ;  and  on  its  conclusion,  after  all  the  private  molebens 
have  been  performed,  a  row  of  workmen's  wives  and  country 
women  churched,  and  perhaps  during  the  finishing  of  the 
burial  service  over  the  corpse  of  some  poor  villager,  the  font 
is  brought  out  of  its  comer  and  placed  in  the  middle  of  the 
church  before  the  royal  gates.  The  Readers  busy  themselves 
in  arranging  the  sponsors  in  a  three-quarters  of  a  circle  round 
the  font,  an  open  space  being  left  between  it  and  the  royal 
gates,  so  that  no  one  stands  with  their  back  towards  them. 
They  stand  in  pairs,  each  with  their  particular  godchild  and  its 
^  Monthly  nurse,  wise  woman,  she-doctor,  of  the  peasants. 


baboushka  behind  them.  One  name  for  all  the  boys,  who  are 
placed  on  one  side,  and  one  for  all  the  girls,  who  are  on  the 
other,  are  selected  from  the  Calendar,  according  to  the  date  of 
the  Sunday,  without  any  previous  consultation  with  the  sponsors 
as  to  whether  the  baby  has  a  brother  or  a  sister  of  the  same 
name,  and  consequently  it  frequently  happens  that  there  are 
several  Johns,  Peters,  and  Prascovias  in  one  family.  A  sharp 
sponsor  or  baboushka,  however,  takes  care  to  inquire  what 
names  are  to  be  given,  and  begs,  if  they  are  already  m  the 
family,  that  another  may  be  substituted. 

It  is  impossible  to  repress  a  smile  when  the  blowing  time 
comes,  to  see  the  Priest  moving  from  group  to  group,  and  puff- 
ing, with  pursed-up  lips,  on  each  infant's  face ;  one  hundred 
and  twenty  distinct  times  must  he  blow  on  the  babies  alone 
(not  to  speak  of  the  water  and  the  devil),  if  there  be  but  forty 
children.     The  rapidity  and  dexterity  with  which  the  immer- 
sions are  performed,  the  exact  similarity  of  expression  in  each 
tiny  face,  and  of  the  position  of  the  arms  on  emerging  from 
the  water,  where  it  is  held  for  one  instant  towards  the  east,  is 
*  also  very  striking.     A  healthy  child  always  throws  its  head 
back,  gasping;   its  eyes  and  mouth   are   open,  its  arms  un- 
consciously extended  towards  the   east,  and  it  cries  loudly 
immediately  it  gains  its  little  breath.     A  weakly  babe  hangs 
its  head  and  limbs  in  silence,  and  lacks  the  almost  mtelligent 
struggle  that  marks  the  vigorous  infant. 

In  the  event  of  a  child's  being  born  in  a  hopeless  state,  or 
of  its  becoming  ill  so  suddenly  as  to  have  no  time  for  sending 
for  the  Priest,  the  nurse  or  any  one  else  may  legally  baptize  it. 
A  pure  vessel  of  water  is  procured,  and  the  infant  is  immersed 
with  the  same  words  as  those  used  by  the  Priest.  No  sponsors 
are  required,  and  the  child  is  not  baptized  a  second  time;  the 


So 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


8i 


Priest  merely  performs  the  Office  of  the  Sacrament  of  Unction 
over  it,  should  it  survive,  and  if  it  dies  before  that  is  done  it 
has  a  right  to  Christian  burial. 

Although,  by  an  ukase  of  the  year  1836,  a  boy  cannot  be 
sponsor  before  he  is  fifteen,  and  a  girl  before  she  is  thirteen 
years  old,  the  Russians  are  fond  of  having  very  young  children 
to  stand  for  their  babies — too  young,  sometimes,  to  be  able  to 
repeat  the  Nicene  Creed,  and,  of  course,  without  the  slightest 
idea  of  the  solemnity  of  their  office.  The  Priest  certainly  can 
justify  himself  by  answering  that  the  other  sponsor  is  of  years 
of  discretion  (for  by  the  rules  of  the  Church  one  sponsor  only 
is  required,  viz.  a  man  for  a  boy,  and  a  woman  for  a  girl),  and 
care  is  always  taken  that  the  child-sponsor's  companion  be  a 
grown-up  person. 

A  husband  and  wife  cannot  stand  together  for  one  child. 
Persons  of  any  form  of  Christian  religion  may  stand  for 
a  Russian  child,  but  with  due  regard  to  the  rule  that  a  boy 
baby  have  an  orthodox  adult  godfather,  and  a  girl  an  orthodox 
adult  godmother. 

Although  one  sponsor  is  required,  and  the  generality  of 
Russian  christenings  present  only  one  pair,  viz.  godfather  and 
mother,  yet  you  may  have  as  many  pairs  as  you  please ;  the 
names  of  those  who  received  the  child  from  the  font,  and 
carried  him  round  it,  are  written  in  the  register,  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  the  others. 

There  is  a  popular  belief  among  the  lower  orders  that  a  pair 
who  were  baptized  at  the  same  christening,  "  in  one  font,"  i.e. 
in  the  same  water,  cannot  lawfully  marry,  but  this  seems  to  be 
without  foundation. 

In  forty  days,  or  thereabouts,  after  the  child's  birth,  the 
mother  goes  to  be  churched,  and  takes  the  baby  with  her  to 


be  received  visibly  into  Christ's  Church,  and  to  receive  the 
Sacrament,  as  it  is  considered  fully  worthy  to  do  so  by  the 
obligation  of  its  sponsors.  When  the  royal  gates  are  opened 
during  Mass,  and  the  Deacon  appears  with  the  Cup  in  his 
hand,  the  nurse,  or  a  friend,  approaches  the  steps^  with  the 
infant,  when  the  Priest  comes  forward,  and  putting  a  small 
quantity  of  wine  only,  by  means  of  the  spoon  used  also  at  adult 
communion,  into  the  child's  mouth,  pronounces  these  words^: 
"  The  servant  of  God,  Alexis,  communicates  in  the  Name," 
&c.     The  Deacon  wipes  its  lips  with  a  silken  napkin  provided 

for  the  purpose. 

After  the  Liturgy  the  mother  beckons  to  a  Chorister  or 
Reader,  and  begs  him  to  let  the  Priest  know  that  she  wishes 
to  be  churched,  and  he  soon  appears  in  his  cope,  and  with  his 
book,  from  which  he  reads  a  short  form  very  similar  to  that  of 
the  Church  of  England.     He  then  takes  the  baby  and  presses 
its  little  face  to  the  silver-covered  pictures  that  adorn  the  altar- 
screen,  praying,  or  rather  ejaculating,  aloud,  "  The  servant  of 
God,  Alexis,  is  admitted  into  the  Church  of  Christ."     These 
words  are  repeated  behind   the   altar-screen,  and  again   on 
issuing  therefrom.     A  little  giri  is  not  taken  behind  the  screen, 
as  no  woman  is  allowed  to  pass  the  royal  gates.     The  bene- 
diction follows,  and  the  Cross  is  presented  to  the  mother,  who 
reverently  kisses  it  3  it  is  also  pressed  to  the  lips  of  the  uncon- 
scious babe.     A  fee  is  of  course  paid. 

After  this  ceremony  she  returns  the  ladies'  visits.  There  are 
no  "  kind  inquiries,"  or  "  return  thanks "  in  black  and  white. 
Until  she  has  been  to  church  it  is  considered  improper  to  leave 
the  house,  except  for  exercise  or  to  see  relatives  or  sick  friends. 

1  The  mother  herself  cannot  present  her  child  to  Communion,  nor  may 
she  kiss  the  cross,  until  after  the  service  of  churching  has  been  performed. 


I 


Roman  the  Reader 


83 


CHAPTER  IV. 

BEFORE  attempting  a  sketch  of  the  Consecration  of  a 
Church,  it  is  imperative  to  give  a  brief  description  of 
the  building  itself.  I  do  not  intend  to  speak  of  the  large  and 
magnificent  cathedrals  of  the  capitals  and  government  towns, 
but  of  the  ordinary  churches  of  the  smaller  towns  and  villages. 
It  must  be  remarked,  however,  that,  strictly  speaking,  every 
house  of  God  intended  for  the  form  of  worship  called 
Pravoslavib  is  built  according  to  the  following  general  plan. 

The  Russian  churches  are  principally  and  professedly  built 
in  the  Byzantine  style,  but  many  seem  to  me  to  have  no  style 
at  all.  They  have  a  rather  long  body,  with  a  cupola  over  the 
east  end,  and  the  belfry  at  the  west.  Some  churches  have 
several  belfries  built  at  the  corners,  and  small  ones  have  their 
bells  hung  in  a  little  tower  on  the  top  of  the  cupola.  It  is  these 
belfries  and  cupolas  that  lend  a  feature  completely  Russian  to 
the  building.  For  the  edification  of  some  of  my  readers  I  may 
as  well  remark  that  the  form  of  these  cupolas  resembles  a 
Spanish  onion,  root  upwards.  Most  of  them  are  surmounted 
by  a  cross,  and  are  frequently  covered  with  bright  metallic 
plates  that  shine  in  the  sun. 

The  church  is  divided  into  three  parts,— the  entrance,  the 
body  of  the  church  where  the  people  stand,  and  the  altar  place. 


r 


4 


This  is  in  imitation  of  the  Temple  of  Solomon,  which  was  also 
divided  into  three  distinct  parts ;  besides  which,  it  has  other 
mystic  meanings.  There  are  no  seats,  and  no  possibility  of 
sitting  down  for  the  ordinary  church-goer,  however  fatigued  or 
weak°in  health  he  may  be ;  unless,  indeed,  faintness  compels 
him  to  make  himself  the  object  of  general  observation  by 
resting  on  any  projections  or  steps  that  may  present  themselves 
to  the  sufferer.  By  making  great  friends  with  the  beadles,  I 
have  known  ladies  in  bad  health,  who  were  unwilling  to  forego 
the  comfort  of  joining  in  the  prayers  of  the  Church,  but  who 
were  unable  to  stand  during  the  long  services,  havmg  been 
accommodated  with  chairs  behind  the  screens,  where  the 
readers  and  singers  stand;  but  only  in  cases  where  the 
choristers  sang  in  the  gallery  or  choir.  There  is  no  organ 
in  the   Greco-Russian  church,   nor   any  instrumental   music 

permitted  in  it. 

The  body  of  the  church,  then,  presents  the  appearance  of  a 

vast  empty  hall,  at  the  east  end  of  which  is  an  elevation  of 

two  steps  in  height,  extending  the  whole  width  of  the  building; 

and  at  about  two  or  three  (or  in  large  churches  more)  yards 

distant  from  the  top  step,  is  what  I  will  call  the  altar-screen; 

a  slight  wall,  richly  ornamented  with  pictures,  in  silver,  or 

plated  rizas-ih^it  is,  they  are  completely  covered  with  metallic 

plates,  chased  and  ornamented,  which  represent  the  clothing 

(Scl.  riza)  of  the  saints,  and  there  are  apertures  left  for  the 

face,  hands,  and  feet  of  the  painting  to  be  visible ;  before  each 

are  candlesticks  or  suspended  lamps  of  immense  size,  capable 

of  containing  thirty  or  forty  candles,  which  candles  can  be 

purchased  from  the  sexton  at  the  entrance.     In  this  screen, 

which  reaches  to  the  roof  of  the  building,  are  three  doors.     A 

large  double  one,  composed  of  open  gilt  carvings,  with  small 


84 


Roma7i  the  Reader 


pictures  introduced  in  them,  is  in  the  middle,  and  is  called 
"the  royal  gates;"  and  on  either  side,  a  small  one  called 
the  Deacons'  door.  It  is  behind  the  screen  that  the  Priest 
stands  during  the  Liturgy  and  other  services;  at  times  the 
royal  gates  are  completely  closed,  and  all  possibility  of  th- 
congregation  seeing  what  is  being  done  precluded  by  the 
drawing  of  a  silken  curtain  (symbol :  the  veil  of  the  Temple) 
over  the  inner  side  thereof.  The  space  behind  the  screen  is 
called  the  Altar,  and  it  occupies  about  the  eighth  of  the  length 
of  the  entire  building.  In  it,  immediately  before  the  royal 
gates,  stands  a  square  table,  which  is  called  the  Throne,  and 
which  is  the  altar  in  fact.  On  it  are  placed  the  Gospels,  an 
immense  volume  richly  bound  in  velvet  or  in  silver-gilt  plates, 
and  ornamented  with  enamel  medallions  of  the  Saviour  and 
the  Evangelists ;  a  gold  or  gilt  cross  for  the  congregation  to 
kiss,  a  sort  of  tiny  catafalque  with  a  little  box  in  it  for  the 
Holy  Elements,  and  a  silk  handkerchief  in  which  is  carefully 
wrapped  the  Antimins. 

Beneath  the  Throne  there  is  frequently  a  little  box  containing 
a  portion  of  relics,  in  allusion  to  the  passage  in  Revelation 
vi.  9.  This,  however,  is  only  in  cases  when  the  Archbishop 
himself  consecrates  the  church  in  person,  and  not  by  deputy. 

As  I  have  before  remarked,  the  Greco-Russian  services  are 
full  of  allusions  and  similitudes,  which  often  seem  very  far- 
fetched, and  in  some  instances  rather  incomprehensible.  To 
enumerate  one-half,  or  one-hundredth  part  of  them,  would 
weary  my  readers,  and  be  a  task  of  no  small  trouble  to  the 
laborious  and  enterprising  person  who  should  undertake  it. 
But  to  impart  an  idea  of  these  symbols,  I  will  mention  a 
few  of  the  inward  and  spiritual  meanings  of  the  last-named 
appurtenance  to  the  altar. 


Roman  the  Reader 


85 


And  first,  the  table  itself  represents  various  incidents  con- 
nected with  Jesus  Christ;   for  instance,  the  Throne  of  the 
Almighty,  Christ  being  One  with  the  Father— the  Table  of  the 
Last  Supper— the  Cross- the  Sepulchre;  but  I  think  attention 
is  drawn  to  it  more  in  the  last  point  of  view  than  in  the  others. 
It  has  several  coverings :  the  first,  a  white  linen  one,  called  the 
Sratchitza,   is  made  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  the  four  ends 
hanging  down,  and  covering  the  legs  of  the  Throne  to  the  very 
floor,  and  is  in  remembrance  of  the  **  Unen  clothes "  left  by 
the  Saviour  in  His  tomb  on  Easter  morn.     Another  covering, 
of  the  same  fashion  as  the  Sratchitza,  but  made  of  some  rich 
material,  is  called  the  Inditia,  and  represents  "  the  glory  of 
God."     It  is  always  as  magnificent  as  means  permit.      The 
third  article    is  the   Iliton;    it    is    the  handkerchief  before 
mentioned,  and  reminds  us  of  the  "napkin"  which  bound  the 
head  of  our  Lord,  and  which  the  Apostles  Peter  and  John 
found  "  wrapped  in  a  place  by  itself."     It  is  always  in  a  folded 
state,  except  at  the  time  of  the  celebration  of  the  Holy  Sacra- 
ment,  when  it  is  spread  out  on  the  Altar,  with  the  Antimms 

uppermost. 

This  Antimins,  which  is  always  kept  wrapped  up  in  the 
Iliton,  is  a  small  piece  of  silk  or  linen  material  about  fifteen 
inches  square,  with  a  picture  stamped  on  it,  representing  the 
burial  of  Christ  by  Joseph  of  Arimathea  and  the  Holy  Women. 
At  the  four  corners  are  the  busts  of  the  Evangelists.  Above 
and  below  is  an  inscription  to  the  effect  that  it  was  in  very 
deed  consecrated  by  the  Archbishop  of  the  diocese,  and  that 
through  it  his  blessing  is  conveyed  to  the  whole  building. 
A  minute  portion  of  relics,  anointed  with  holy  oil,  is  secured 
in  a  tiny  bag  or  pocket,  and  sewn  on  that  side  of  the  Antimins 
which  is  turned  to  the  east.     Without  an  Antimins  no  church 


y.     ,^'i^-— A«'^ 


^j£^£SSm2Wf>'*''^--^'^~^ 


86 


Roman  the  Reader 


in  Russia  can  exist ;  it  cannot  be  consecrated  without  one,  and 
until  it  is  consecrated,  ISIass,  Le,  the  celebration  of  the  Holy 
Sacrament,  cannot  be  performed. 

A  church  ought  to  be  consecrated  by  the  Vladika  himself; 
but  as  the  immense  distances  of  Russia  render  this  frequently 
almost  impossible,  this  plan  of  consecrating  the  Antimins 
empowers  the  Blagotchiny  of  a  district  to  consecrate  new 
churches  in  his  own  particular  blagotchinid 

Besides  the  Throne,  there  is  another  table  in  the  altar,  at 
the  north  side,  called  the  Altar  of  Sacrifice,  on  which  are  the 
Holy  Vessels,  as  they  are  called,  and  several  other  utensils, 
which  are  unknown  in  the  Anglican  Church :  for  instance,  the 
Spear  (in  remembrance  of  that  which  pierced  the  Saviour's 
side),  used  for  cutting  out  little  triangular  morsels  of  bread  for 
the  Sacrament;  the  Star,  which  forms  a  sort  of  covering  to 
the  plate;  the  Spoon  for  administering  the  Sacrament;  and 
other  things.  Besides  these,  to  the  extreme  east  wall  is 
placed  a  chair,  on  which  the  Vladika  alone  can  sit ;  on  either 
side  of  it  are,  or  are  supposed  to  be,  seats  for  twelve  Priests— 
in  allusion  to  the  twelve  Apostles. 

The  Priests  put  on  their  canonicals  in  the  altar;  but  the 
various  garments,  suitable  for  occasions  of  joy  or  woe,  are 
kept  in  a  vestry  in  the  entrance,  and  brought  by  the  Sacristan 

into  the  altar. 

The  greater  part  of  the  Liturgy  is  performed  by  the  Priest 
in  the  altar,  and  one  does  not  hear  much  that  he  says ;  the 
Deacon  stands  principally  before  the  royal  gates,  with  his 
back  to  the  congregation.  But  there  is  so  much  movement  in 
all  the  Greco-Russian  services,  that  to  denote  the  exact  plan  of 
their  performance  is  almost  impossible.  Infants  are  anointed 
and  baptized  in  the  body  of  the  church,  facing  the  royal 


Roman  the  Reader 


87 


gates  (the  font  is  moveable,  and  is  brought  from  the  corner 
S    e  it  usually  stands) ;  the  Sacrament  is  admimstered  at  the 
Ite^ leading  to  the  altar;  Confession  is  performed  m  some 
^vlte  and  demote  corner  of  the  ^^^^^f^^^ 
Priest    There  are  no  confessionals.    The  Ordmation  of  Priests 
takes  place  in  the  altar;  Marriage  is  celebrated  in  the  body  o 
the  church,  with  the  royal  gates  open  all  the  time;  and  the 
Burial  Service  chanted  in  the  same  place,  the  ^e-ased  ^^^^^^^ 
with  his  head  to  the  west,  his  feet  to  the  east,  and  his  face  un- 
rvered,-except  Priests,  who  are  entirely  hidden  from  view. 

RomL  had  taken  an  intense  interest  in  all  that  concerned 
St  Nicholas'  Church,  from  the  time  he  was  made  collector  of 
tLds;  and  it  increased  to  positive  ajection  for  the  bu     - 
ing  as  it  approached  its  completion.     And  it  was  one  of  those 
churches  that  seem  to  win,  by  a  secret  charm,  a  greater  con- 
gregation  than  others;  its  picturesque  situation,  the  rippling 
rivulet  that  flowed  from  beneath  the  vaulted  foundation  of  Us 
altar,  its  remarkably  sonorous  and  cheerful-toned  bells,  and  the 
elegant  and  well-ordered  adornments  of  its  interior,  combined 
o  make  it  most  attractive  ;  besides  which,  the  Priest  m  whose 
town-district   it   happened  to  be  was   a  favourite;   and  the 
Protopope  was  half  pleased,  half  jealous  of  the  throngs  that 
assembled  when  M.ours"   and  an  acathistus  were  chanted 

there 

Offerings  poured  in  from  all  sides;  -richmercl,ar>t  pre- 
sented an  elegant  inditia ;  another,  who  had  d-ved  Wfit  - 
he  supposed,  from  the  water  of  the  spnng  when  afflicted  wUh 
inflamed  eyes,  gave  the  cup  and  plate ;  a  former  governor  of  the 
government  of  Q— , who  had  recovered  from  a  severe r Iness 
at  Boogorki,  had  sent  the  bells  from  Slobodskoy.  The  1  <h  s 
contributed  various  embroideries;  and  even  the  pupUs  of  the 


.i 
1,' 


ll 


i 


88 


Roman  the  Reader 


artisans*  girls'  school  sent  in  their  mite  in  different  articles  of 
needlework  necessary  for  the  rites  of  their  Church.  During 
the  three  weeks  that  elapsed  between  Romh,n's  return  from  the 
Government  town  and  the  eventful  day,  he  and  his  choir  sang 
themselves  almost  hoarse  in  preparation  for  it.  On  the  eve 
there  were  night-matins,  and  everything  'was  prepared  for  the 
morrow's  ceremony. 

By  seven  o'clock  the  next  morning  the  church  began  to  fill. 
Nothing  like  tickets  existed,  nor  was  permission  asked;  it  was 
open  to  all  comers — that  is,  to  all  who  could  get  in.  The 
stanovoy,  the  peace-mediator, ^  and  the  "head"  or  peasant- 
representative  of  the  law  for  the  workmen — a  respectable  and, 
it  would  seem,  too  mild  a  man  for  his  office — had  hard  work 
to  maintain  order ;  everybody  wanted  the  best  place,  and  the 
best  place  was  the  altar,  which  from  the  first  had  been  crowded 
to  the  utmost  with  ladies,  to  whom  it  was  open  for  the  last 
time,  and  who  were  anxious  to  avail  themselves  of  the  oppor- 
tunity. 

The  Antimins,  placed  on  the  Plate  and  covered  with  the 
Star  and  a  little  piece  of  embroidery  called  the  Veil,  lay  on  a 
little  reading-desk  to  the  right-hand  side  of  the  royal  gates, 
opposite  the  picture  of  Christ.  On  a  large  table  in  the  middle 
of  the  church  were  the  Cross,  the  Holy  Oil,  the  coverings  for 
the  Altar-Throne,  and  all  the  sacred  vessels  for  the  Altar  of 
Sacrifice,  with  a  similar  Inditia  to  that  for  the  Throne.  An 
immense  candle  in  an  immense  candlestick  stood  at  each 
comer  of  the  table. 

The    first   thing   each    Priest    does   on   coming   into   the 

^  Mirorjoy  posrediiik ;  a  new  authority,  established  at  the  time  of  the 
Liberation.  He  is  supposed  to  be  the  go-between  of  the  nobles  and  the 
peasants. 


w 


Roman  the  Reader 


89 


Altar  of  the  Church  about  to  be  consecrated,  is  to  dress  him- 
self, or  rather  to  suffer  himself  to  be  dressed  by  the  Sacristan 
(generally  one  of  the  Readers),  in  his  full  canonicals,  five 
in  number,  which  are  as  follow  (each  article  is  kissed  and 
signed  with  the  Cross  before  the  wearer  puts  it  on)  :— 

First,  the  alb,  a  sort  of  frock  with  loose  sleeves ;  donned 
with  these  words  :  "  My  soul  doth  magnify  the  Lord,  who 
clotheth  me  in  the  garment  of  Salvation." 

Secondly,  the  cuffs.  The  right-hand  one  is  laced  with  these 
words :  "  The  right  hand  of  the  Lord  hath  the  pre-eminence  : 
the  right  hand  of  the  Lord  bringeth  mighty  things  to  pass ;" 
the  left  one  with—"  Thy  hands  have  made  me  and  fashioned 
me :  O  give  me  understanding,  that  I  may  learn  Thy  com- 
mandments." 

Thirdly,  the  belt  "  Blessed  be  the  Lord,  who  girdeth  me 
with  strength,  and  maketh  my  path  undefiled." 

Fourthly,  the  stole.  "  Blessed  be  God,  who  hath  poured 
His  grace  on  His  priests." 

Fifthly,  the  chasuble,  or  upper  garment.  "  Thy  priests,  O 
Lord,  are  decked  with  health,  and  Thy  saints  shall  rejoice  and 

sing." 

There  is  also  a  sixth  article,  called  the  Epigonation,  which  is 
bestowed  for  long  and  faithful  service,  and  consequently  is  not 
worn  by  the  younger  Priests.  It  is  of  no  use,  apparently, 
being  merely  a  square  stiff  thing  made  of  brocade,  about  nine 
inches  long  and  six  broad  :  it  is  trimmed  with  gold  fringe,  and 
with  an  embroidered  cross  in  the  middle ;  strings  are  sewn  to 
the  upper  corners,  and  secure  it  to  the  shoulder  of  the  wearer. 
The  ejaculation  used  when  this  is  put  on  is,  "  Gird  Thee  with 
Thy  sword  upon  Thy  thigh,  O  Thou  most  Mighty !"  It  dangles 
at  the  side. 


1 


li 


jj 


90 


Roman  the  Reader 


The  Russian  name  for  the  Epigonation  signifies  something 

worn  on  the  hip.  ^ 

On  the  occasion  of  a  Consecration,  the  Priests  put  on  a  long 
apron  of  peculiar  fashion,  made  of  white  calico,  and  long  wide 
sleeves  of  the  same  material,  fastened  with  running  tapes  at 
the  \vTist  and  above  the  elbow :  this  is  to  protect  their  canoni- 
cals from  injury  during  the  ensuing  operations. 

When  all  the  Priests  are  assembled  and  vested,  they  leave 
the  altar  by  the  left-hand  Deacons'  door,  and  proceed  to  the 
table  in  the  body  of  the  church.  Each  holds  a  lighted  candle 
in  his  hand,  and  so  do  the  Deacons,  Readers,  and  congrega- 
tion. The  Protopope,  who  in  this  case  performed  the  part  of 
the  Archbishop,  began  the  service  by  chanting  the  moleben 
for  Lammas  Day,  followed  by  the  benediction  of  the  Water; 
which  done,  he  and  the  other  Priests,  eight  in  number,  carried 
the  table  with  all  the  things  on  it,  through  the  royal  gates, 
which  till  then  had  been  closed,  into  the  altar. 

Now  they  begin  to  wash  the  Throne ;  sprinkling  it  plentifully 
with  holy  water,  and  rubbing  it  with  soap  and  sponges.  2  Not 
a  fibre  of  the  wood  is  left  unwashed ;  within,  without,  under- 
neath, and  round  about,  they  rub,  splash,  and  wipe  dry.  After 
this,  four  large  nails  are  driven  into  the  corners,  with  stones, 
thus  fastening  the  thick  top  of  the  table  to  its  legs;  and 
the  holes  made  for  the  heads  of  the  nails  are  filled  up  with 
voskomastica,  a  mixture  of  wax,  mastic,  incense,  and  powdered 
marble,   melted  together.     This  is  in  remembrance  of  the 

1  These  ejaculations  are  made  use  of  on  every  other  occasion  of  putting 

on  canonicals. 

2  These  are  sent  in  great  quantities  by  religious  families,  and  are  re- 
claimed after  the  ceremony  ;  they  are  supposed  to  be  beneficial  in  sickness. 
The  candle  end  that  remains  is  carefully  kept  as  a  remedy  for  toothache. 


Roman  the  Reader 


91 


«  spices  and  ointments"  that  the  holy  women  prepared  for  the 
Body  of  Jesus.  The  superfluous  voskomastica  is  scraped  away 
with  knives  prepared  for  the  purpose.  Perfumes  are  then 
poured  on  the  table,  mingled  with  holy  water,  and  wiped 
away;  also  red  wine,  in  the  form  of  a  cross;  after  which  the 
wood  is  rubbed  as  perfectly  dry  as  is  possible. 

The  chanting  of  the  145th,  23rd,  and  84th  Psalms,  by  tne 
choir,  accompanies  these  ablutions. 

They  then  take  the  Sratchitza,  sprinkle  it  with  holy  water, 
and  put  it  on  the  Throne,  tying  it  extremely  smooth  and  tight 
by  a  thick  cotton  cord,  bound  three  times  round  the  table  in  a 
dent  made  for  the  purpose  in  the  thick  board :  this  is  covered 
with  the  Inditia,  while  the  choir  sings  the  93rd  Psalm. 

The  ladies  are  now  requested  to  leave  the  altar ;  and  the 
Holy  Gospels,  the  Cross,  and  the  other  things  before  mentioned 
are  removed  from  the  table  to  the  Throne,  each  being  pre- 
viously sprinkled  with  holy  water,  and  carefully  wiped. 

The  same  washing,  driving  the  nails,  and  filling  in  the  dents 
is  repeated  with  the  Altar  of  Sacrifice,  the  covering  put  on  it, 
the  Holy  Vessels  placed  there,  and  covered  with  a  brocade 
cloth.  The  sprinkling  of  the  walls  and  floors  of  the  altar 
follows ;  which  when  done,  the  High  Priest  says— 
"  Let  us  depart  in  peace  I" 

The  junior  Priests  take  the  Holy  Water,  the  Gospels,  the 
Cross,  &c.  The  readers,  sextons,  and  beadles,  and  the  more 
devo  Jt  of  the  people,  take  the  church  banners  and  the  principal 
pictures.  The  High  Priest,  having  waved  incense  towards  the 
Antimins,  takes  it  reverently  in  both  hands,  plate  and  all 
(having  delivered  the  censer  to  the  Deacon),  and  holding  it  on 
his  head,  moves  forwards  towards  the  west  door,  forming  the 
head  of  the  procession.     The  second  Priest  sprinkles  the  wall 


* 


( 


92 


Roman  the  Reader 


and  the  people  as  they  go  round  the  church,  the  choir  singing 
all  the  time  this  Tropar : — 

"  On  the  rock  of  Faith,  O  Holy  Lord,  is  Thy  Church 
founded,  in  which  our  prayers  are  offered  to  Thee.  Receive 
Thy  people,  who  cry  to  Thee  in  faith !     Save  us,  O  Lord  our 

God !  save  us ! 

"Glory  to  Thee,  O  Christ  our  Lord,  the  praise  of  the 
Apostles  and  the  joy  of  Thy  Martyrs!  By  them  wert  Thou 
confessed  in  the  Holy  Trinity  !" 

When  they  get  round  to  the  west  door  again,  they  stop  in 
the  entrance,  with  their  faces  towards  the  door,  which  is  shut. 
Half  of  the  choristers  have  remained  inside,  and  are  stationed 

near  the  door. 

High  Priest.     "Blessed  be  Christ  our  God,  always,  now, 

henceforth,  and  for  ever !" 

Choir  (inside  the  church).     "  Amen." 

High  Priest  "  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates ;  and  be  ye  lift 
up,  ye  everlasting  doors ;  and  the  King  of  glory  shall  come  in." 

Choir  (in  the  church).     "  Who  is  the  King  of  glory  ?" 

(These  quotations  from  the  24th  Psalm  are  repeated  three 

times.) 

Deacon.     "  Let  us  pray  to  the  Lord !" 

All  the  Choristers.     "  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us  !" 

Then  the  High  Priest  reads,  still  in  the  entrance,  a  long  and 

beautiful  prayer ;  which  is  succeeded  by  a  shorter  one,  called 

the  Entrance  Prayer : — 

"  O  Lord  God  our  Governor,  who  hast  ordained  estates  in 

heaven,  and  hosts  of  Angels  and  Archangels  to  serve  Thy 

glory,  grant  that  our  entrance  may  be  like  unto  the  entrance  of 

Holy  Angels,  who  with  us  serve  Thee,  and  with  us  praise  Thy 

Goodness ! 


\tt»    m— —  I 


Roman  the  Reader 


93 


"  For  it  is  very  meet  to  give  Thee  all  praise  and  honour  and 
worship;  to  the  Father,  and  to  the ^ Son,  and  to  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever." 

All  the  Choristers.     "  Amen." 

High  Priest.     "  The  Lord  of  Hosts,  He  is  the  King  of 

;lory ! 


!" 


Choir  (in  the  church).     "The  Lord  of  Hosts,  He  is  the 
King  of  glory!" 

(Also  repeated  three  times.) 

The  door  is  then  opened,  and  the  procession  enters  and 
proceeds  again  to  the  altar  through  the  royal  gates.  Here 
the  High  Priest  places  the  Antimins  on  the  Throne,  and  lays 
on  it  the  Holy  Gospels,  and  having  waved  incense  says  another 
prayer,  in  a  loud  voice,  he  and  all  the  clergy  and  congregation 
on  their  knees.  He  then  takes  the  Cross,  and  standing  before 
the  royal  gates  at  the  top  of  the  steps,  with  his  face  towards 
the  people,  signs  with  it  three  times  on  the  east,  south,  west, 
and  north ;  the  Deacon  waving  the  censer  all  the  time,  and 
the  choir  singing,  "  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us,"  each  time  that 
the  High  Priest  signs. 

The  kissing  of  the  Cross  immediately  follows,  first  by  the 
clergy,  and  then  by  as  many  of  the  people  as  can  make  their 
way  to  the  steps.  Another  Priest  stands  by  the  one  who  holds 
the  Cross,  and  sprinkles  each  one  as  he  kisses  the  Cross,  a 
Deacon  or  Reader  holding  the  vessel  of  holy  water. 

The  Consecration  was  immediately  followed  by  Mass ;  and 
the  Priest  whose  district  it  was  preached  a  short  sermon,  simple 
and  very  much  to  the  purpose.  Among  other  things,  he 
invited  the  congregation  to  Confession,  to  the  Table  of  the 
Lord,  to  bring  their  children  to  be  baptized  and  be  married. 
He  did  not,  however,  allude  to  the  possibility  of  performing 


\ 


\ 


94 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


95 


requiems  or  the  burial  service  in  that  bright  cheerful  House  of 
God— why  sadden  that  joyful  day?  One  of  the  choristers,  a 
wag  in  his  way,  nudged  Romkn,  and  called  his  attention  to  the 
omission:  he  got  nothing  but  contemptuous  silence  for  an 
answer;  but  Rom^n  could  not  help  thinking,  who  would  be  the 
first  to  be  buried  or  married  here? 

Nearly  six  hours'  service  fatigued  both  priests  and  people. 
At  two  o'clock  the  merchant  who  had  given  the  Inditia  enter- 
tained the  clergy  at  a  handsome  dinner;  but  it  had  scarcely 
come  to  a  conclusion  when  the  sweet  bell  of  St.  Nicholas 
announced  that  it  was  time  for  vespers ;  and  Father  Peregrin 
and  Roman  left  the  scene  of  festivity  to  perform  them.  For  a 
whole  week  the  Antimins  lay  unfolded  on  the  Throne,  and  every 
day  full  service,  Matins,  Mass,  and  Evensong,  were  performed; 
and  each  with  the  assistance  of  Romkn. 

The  brief  lovely  summer  of  Russia  in  those  latitudes  had 
arrived.  Under  Father  Ivan's  directions,  Romh.n  was  preparing 
with  feverish  ardour  for  Deacon's  Orders.  He  was  beginning 
to  think,  too,  that  he  must  seek  for  a  wife,  but  at  present  he 
had  not  met  with  anybody  likely  to  suit  him  :  the  wife  he  wanted 
would  indeed  have  been  a  wonder — should  he  eventually  find 
her.  He  required  her  to  be  pious,  wise,  kind,  industrious, 
affectionate,  and  lively;  something  of  a  scholar  too,  a  good 
housewife,  and  an  agreeable  hostess ;  sufficiently  well-looking 
to  excite  his  own  admiration,  and  a  neat  dresser ! 

He  had  not  seen  his  mother  since  he  had  been  ordained, 
and  a  letter  from  Nadia  informed  him  that  she  had  been  ill,  and 
that  she  wished  extremely  to  see  her  son.  He  obtained  per- 
mission to  leave  Boogorki  for  a  week ;  and  as  he  had  but  very 
little  cash,  he  set  out  an  foot.  He  had  heard  of  a  very  charm- 
ing Deacon's  daughter  at  a  village  a  little  out  of  the  road  to 


Elenovka,  and  he  contrived  to  get  a  commission  to  her  father 
from  one  of  his  brother  Readers,  who  was  related  to  the  Deacon 
in  question,  by  way  of  introduction. 

He  arrived  at  the  village  purposely  late  in  the  evening ;  and 
having  refreshed  himself  with  a  good  night's  rest  in  the  hay- 
loft of  the  peasant  at  whose  house  he  supped,  he  made  himself 
as  beautiful  as  his  costume  permitted,  and  presented  himself  at 
the  Deacon's  house.  The  young  girl  was  not  at  home  !  She 
had  gone  with  her  mother  at  an  early  hour  into  the  fields  to 

pull  up  the  flax. 

What  was  to  be  done  ?  He  was  rather  disappointed,  but  at 
any  rate  he  had  become  acquainted  with  the  tyatinka,  which 

was  half  the  battle. 

It  was  one  of  those  burning  hot  days  in  July  which  have  no 
parallel  in  Great  Britain.     The  early  morning  was  hot  enough, 
but  from  noon  to  six  o'clock  it  was  overpowering,  especially 
in  the  open  country— in  fields  of  rye  just  ready  for  harvest, 
barley,  and  buckwheat.     Roman  was  thankful  when,  at  about 
one  o'clock,  he  reached  a  small  and  almost  deserted  hamlet, 
all  the  able-bodied  inhabitants  of  which  were  occupied  in  the 
fields.    With  some  difficulty  he  found  an  old  woman,  left  in 
charge  of  a  whole  generation  of  little  grandchildren,  whom  he 
persuaded  to  give  him  a  meal ;  after  which  he  lay  down  in  a 
comparatively  cool  corner,  and  fell  into  a  heavy  sleep.     It  was 
still  a  burning  glowing  afternoon  when  he  awoke,  undecided 
whether  he  was  the  better  for  the  nap  or  not ;  but  he  knew 
that  he  had  still  about  twenty-two  versts  before  him,  and  there 
was  nothing  to  be  done  but  to  push  forwards ;  so  he  bathed 
his  heavy  head  with  some  cool  well-water,  which  he  drew  for 
himself,  besides  several  pairs  of  buckets  for  his  hostess,  and 
set  forth  again  on  his  journey. 


'ti 


90 


Roman  the  Reader 


The  road  became  more  and  more  familiar  to  him,  and  his 
heart  was  full  of  joy  and  peace  as  he  trudged  along,  recog- 
nising now  a  bridge,  now  a  distant  hamlet,  now  the  hay-stack 
of  a  neighbour  at  Elenovka — all  of  which  served  as  it  were  as 
landmarks,  and  showed  him  the  distance  he  had  still  to  tiavel. 
Instead  of  its  becoming  cooler  towards  evening,  the  air  seemed 
to  get  more  and  more  oppressive,  dark  clouds  appeared  in  the 
distance,  and  rumblings — Romkn  could  hardly  decide  whether 
of  thunder  or  of  somebody  passing  over  a  wooden  bridge  in  a 
country  cart — began  to  be  heard.  He  did  not  care  being 
wetted  to  the  skin  if  the  rain  should  come — indeed,  he  rather 
fancied  the  idea  of  such  a  shower-bath ;  meanwhile,  the  still- 
jiess  that  precedes  a  violent  thunder-storm  became  overpower- 
ingly  oppressive,  and  the  rumblings  increased  to  claps,  pre- 
ceded by  vivid  flashes  of  lightning,  and  accompanied  by  a 
violent  hot  wind.  Romkn  redoubled  his  pace;  it  was  now 
nearly  five  hours  since  he  had  partaken  of  his  very  frugal  meal 
of  chopped  onions  and  kvass,  with  black  bread,  at  the  deserted 
hamlet;  and  he  began  to  muse  on  creature  comforts  at  his 
mother's  house — of  a  swim  in  the  river,  and  of  a  quiet  teie-h-tete 
Avith  Nadinka  at  the  open  window,  when  the  Deaconess  should 
have  gone  to  bed. 

"Lord,  have  mercy  upon  me  !"  he  exclaimed,  crossing  him- 
self, as  a  blinding  flash  flew  past  him,  followed  instantaneously 
by  a  deafening  peal  of  thunder.  He  was  passing  through  a 
field  of  buckwheat  in  full  flower,  the  pretty  pink  and  white 
blossoms  showing  like  snow  in  harvest-time.  He  looked 
around  him  for  something  approaching  to  shelter,  but  the  vast 
plain  was  bounded  on  all  sides  by  distant  forests  of  various 
aspects,  and  only  here  and  there  a  solitary  tree  relieved  the 
flatness  of  the  scene ;  his  heart  beat  high,  and  a  chill  of  alarm 


Roman  the  Reader 


97 


ran  through  his  veins.  During  a  momentary  cessation  of  the 
thunder,  the  church  bells  of  Elenovka  were  distinctly  heard, 
wafted  by  a  dusty  gust  of  wind :   their  sound  rejoiced  and 

calmed  the  traveller. 

"The  angel  of  the  Lord  tarrieth  about  them  that  fear 
Him '"  he  said  aloud,  as  his  trembling  hand  made  "  the  sign 
of  man's  redemption"  over  his  pallid  face  and  heaving  breast ; 
but  before  it  had  made  the  last  movement  over  his  heart,  that 

heart  beat  for  the  last  time Romkn  fell  to  the  ground, 

struck  dead  by  lightning. 

"  By  the  Grace  of  God !" 

\  *  *  *  *  * 

"Lord,   have  mercy  on  our   sins!     Ah,   thou  most  holy 
Queen  of  Heaven  I  merciful  Micholai  I^     Here's  a  sin,  a  sm  ! 
Lord,  teach  me  what  to  do  !     Batioushka  !     Romkn  Dmitrie- 
vitch !"  cried  the  Elenovka  miller,  who  was  the  first  to  pass  by 
after  that  flash.     An  abundant  and  refreshing  rain  had  fallen, 
and  the  sun  was  again  shining  in  gentle  splendour  on  the 
delicate  flowers  of  the  buckwheat,  and  sparkling  in  the  drops 
that  lay  in  their  tiny  cups.     Roman  was  lying  a  step  or  two 
from   a  sharp   turn  in    the   road,   and    the    buckwheat  was 
sufficiendy  high  to  conceal  him  from  the  miller's  view  until  his 
horse  suddenly  pulled  up,  and  by  so  doing  neai-ly  threw  his 
master  out  of  the  cart.     The  bells  of  Elenovka,  clearly  heard 
in  the  fresh  still  air,  announced  that  service  had  begun ;  it  was 
the  second  peal  of  night-matins,  the  next  day  being  the  gieat 
Russian  Feast  of  St.  Elijah. 

The  miller  stood  for  a  few  moments  undecided  what  to  do. 
His  knowledge  of  law  was  not  very  extensive,  and  the  Russian 
has  an  aversion  to  corpses  in  general,  which  increases  to 
1  The  peasants  frequently  pronounce  Nicholai'  "  Micholai." 


98 


Roman  the  Reader 


positive  horror  when  death  has  been  violent  or  accidental. 
Besides,  the  law  forbids  the  removal  of  a  body  from  the  place 
where  it  was  found  until  the  authorities  have  viewed  it,  and 
held  a  sort  of  inquest  on  it;  yet,  to  leave  poor  Roman's 
remains  in  the  very  middle  of  a  well-frequented  road,  and  by 
such  a  turn  that  passengers  from  Elenovka  could  not  see  it 
until  they  were  within  a  step  or  two  of  it,  was  awkward,  and 
might  occasion  frights  and  misfortunes,  especially  to  passers-by 
in  country  carts ;  not  to  speak  of  the  disfigurement  that  might 
ensue  to  the  body.  His  mother-wit  came  to  his  rescue,  and 
suggested  covering  the  corpse  with  the  wicker  body  of  the  cart, 
which  would  protect  it  in  a  measure  without  compelling  him  to 
touch  it.  The  worthy  miller's  hands  trembled  so  that  he  could 
hardly  untie  the  knots  of  cordage  which  secured  the  basket  to 
the  wheel  part  of  the  cart,  and  he  was  in  a  sad  state  of  mud 
on  rising  from  his  back  and  knees  after  the  operation.  Having 
performed  his  pious  task  with  many  ejaculations  of  horror,  pity, 
and  self-preservation,  he  seated  himself  on  the  telega,^  and, 
turning  his  horse's  head  towards  Elenovka  again,  drove  with 
his  utmost  speed  homewards.  , 

On  his  arrival  at  the  village,  the  Evening  Service  was  still 
going  on.  He  drove  straight  to  the  stanovoy's  house,  and  was 
told  that  both  Ignaty  Silvestrovitch  and  Tatiana  Alexandrovna 
were  at  church ;  but  considering  the  urgency  of  the  case,  he 
resolved  to  call  the  former  out  quietly. 

"  I'll  go  myself,"  he  said  to  the  cook. 

"Are  you  out  of  your  mind,  Micah  Maximovitch?"  ex- 
claimed she.  "  Only  look  at  yourself;  are  you  fit  to  enter  the 
temple  of  the  Lord?    What  is  the  matter?"  she  asked,  look- 


*  The  wheel  part  of  a  countiy  cart. 


Roman  the  Reader 


99 


ing  into  his  face,  and  observing  his  scared  appearance  for  the 
first  time.     "  What  has  happened  ?" 

"  A  sin,  a  sin,  Matrionoushka !  The  Lord  was  pleased  for 
me  to  find  it  out  There  is  nothing  to  be  done.  I  must  see 
Ignaty  Sylvestrovitch  immediately,  or  I  may  answer  for  it ! " 
and  he  moved  towards  the  kitchen  door. 

"Well,  stop !     I'll  run  for  him,"  said  the  cook;  "only  tell 

me,  what  is  it?" 

"  A  body,  a  human  body ! "  whispered  the  miller,  not  feehng 
certain  that  he  was  acting  quite  lawfully  in  telling  anybody 
before  the  stanovoy.  "And  I  suppose  that  death  was  caused 
by  the  Grace  of  God."  ^ 

"Yes,  yes  !"  cried  Matriona;  "it  was  an  awful  storm  !  Akh 
ti  Gospodi !  and  whose  body  is  it,  my  rodimoy  ?"2 

"  That's  not  your  business,  Baba  I"  was  the  sharp  reply ;  "go 
for  Ignaty  Sylvestrovitch,  or  I  must  go  myself" 

"  Directly,  directly— this  moment,  rodimoy,"  cried  the  cook, 
as  she  threw  a  shawl  over  her  head  and  hurried  out  of  the  house. 

The  woman  had  the  sense  not  to  make  her  way  through  the 
throng  to  her  master,  who  stood  near  the  altar-steps ;  she  told 
her  errand  to  the  sexton,  who  was  stationed  near  the  west  door 
at  his  little  table,  with  wax  tapers  for  sale ;  and  he  quietly  de- 
livered her  message  to  the  stanovoy,  who  immediately  followed 
him,  to  the  astonishment  of  the  congregation,  and  to  their  no 

small  curiosity. 

"What  is  the  matter?"  he  asked  of  the  cook,  who  still  stood 

at  the  sexton's  table. 

1  This  expression  is  applied  to  death,  fire,  or  any  misfortune  caused  by 
lightning.     A  fire  from  ordinary  causes  is  called  "  the  wrath  of  God." 

2  Relative— a  term  of  civility  or  kmdness  applied  alike  to  kindred  or 
strangers. 


'1 

i 


lOO 


Roman  the  Reader 


"  Micah  Maximovitch  has  come  to  our  house,  all  over  dirt, 
Master;  and  he  has  found  a  dead  body,  somewhere — by  the 
Grace  of  God,  he  says,  Master ;  so ^'* 

"Hold  your  tongue,  woman,  in  God's  House,'*  said  the 
stanovoy;  "  be  off  with  you.     I'll  come  directly." 

One  or  two  pious  worshippers  who  stood  near  heard  what 
Matriona  had  said,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  whole  congrega- 
tion knew  it — that  is  to  say,  the  last  person  was  informed  that 
Micah  Maximovitch  had  been  killed  by  lightning,  and  that  the 
cook  had  discovered  his  body. 

The  stanovoy,  with  the  indifference  and  business-manner 
characteristic  of  all  stanovoys,  immediately  set  about  the 
formalities.  He  was  originally  a  Cavalerist,  but  had  lost  an 
arm  in  the  Hungarian  campaign,  which,  however,  did  not  pre- 
vent his  riding  on  horseback  on  every  possible  occasion.  He 
ordered  his  steed  to  be  speedily  saddled,  and  rode  to  the  spot. 
There  having  glanced  at  the  pale  calm  face,  in  the  first  twilight 
of  setting  sun  and  rising  moon,  he  again  mounted  his  horse, 
and,  after  a  moment's  reflection,  gave  a  few  necessary  orders  to 
the  underlings  who  had  accompanied  him,  and  rode  forward  to 
town. 

In  less  than  three  hours  he  had  reached  the  doctor's 
residence.  That  functionary  had  already  gone  to  bed ;  but  he 
instantly  rose  on  hearing  who  had  come,  ordered  refresh- 
ments to  be  served,  while  his  horses  were  being  put  to; 
and  in  half  an  hour's  time,  the  friends,  for  such  they  were, 
were  seated  in  a  commodious  wicker  equipage,  and  on  the 
Elenovka  road. 

A  guard  in  the  meantime  had  been  placed  over  the  body, 
consisting  of  three  timid  peasants,  who  regaled  each  other 
the  whole  night  with  tales  of  horror  adapted  to  the  occasion. 


Roman  the  Reader 


lOI 


They  had  the  effect,  however,  of  keeping  the  narrators  and 
hearers  awake  during  the  brief  July  night,  and  others  came 
to  relieve  them  soon  after  midnight ;  curiosity  overcame  fear, 
and  the  first  party  voluntarily  stayed  until  Ignaty  Sylvestrovitch 
returned  with  the  doctor  at  about  three  o'clock.     They  were 
much  surprised  to  see  them  so  soon ;  for  in  general  doctors 
and  stanovoys  assemble  for  an  inquest  without  the   slight- 
est   regard  to  the    season    of  the  year,   and  it  is  no  un- 
common thing  to  hear  of  villagers  who  have  died  suddenly, 
or  in  a  suspicious  manner,  being  kept  in  the  ice-cellar  for 
many  days— sometimes  more  than  a  week  or  a  fortnight- 
while  one  or  the  other  of  the  necessary  authorities  is  being 
waited  for,  before  whose  decision  no  Priest  dares  perform  the 
Burial   Service.      A   glance    was    sufficient  for  the  medical 
man  to  decide  at  once  that  lightning  had  caused  Romkn'S 

death. 

The  steel  walking-stick  that  his  landlord  had  given  him 
some  two  and  a  half  years  ago  and  which  had  been  his 
constant  attendant  on  all  his  rambles,  was  the  fatal  instrument 
He  carried  it  over  his  shoulder,  with  a  little  parcel  of  books 
that  the  father  of  the  charming  daughter  had  asked  him  to  take 
for  Father  Petre.  His  better  coat,  a  change  or  two  of  Hnen, 
and  a  piece  of  cotton  print  which  he  had  bought  on  credit  for  a 
dress  for  his  sister,  were  tied  up  in  a  bag  and  strapped  to  his 
shoulders  like  a  knapsack. 

All  the  formalities  having  been  observed,  the  doctor  and 
stanovoy  proceeded  to  Elenovka  to  commit  them  to  paper; 
and  Romkn  was  laid  on  a  cart,  covered  with  matting,  and 
slowly  conveyed  to  his  native  village. 

It  was  still  early  morning ;  and,  strange  to  say,  the  people 
whom  it  most  concerned  were  ignorant  of  the  misfortune  that 


102 


Roman  the  Reader 


had  befallen  them;  for  Ignaty  Sylvestrovitch  had  threatened 
any  one  with  the  utmost  rigours  of  the  law  who  should 
communicate  the  report  to  Pavla  Lavrentievna  before  his 
return  to  Elenovka.  Nadinka,  it  is  tiue,  had  heard  at  church 
that  some  one  had  been  killed  by  lightning,  and  she  repeated 
it  to  her  mother;  but  it  seems  to  be  the  peculiarity  attendant 
on  all  accidents  and  mishaps,  that  the  recipients  are  generally 
the  last  persons  to  think  of  its  happening  to  them  in  particular; 
and  so  it  was  in  this  instance.  One  would  have  thought 
that  as  Pavla  Lavrentievna— now  quite  recovered— was  expect- 
ing her  son  every  hour,  she  would  have  been  full  of  solicitude 
and  maternal  misery ;  would  have  rushed  to  the  place  where 
the  accident  had  happened,  to  make  sure  that  Romkn  was  not 
the  victim.  She  did  however  think  of  him,  for  she  said — sup- 
posing he  would  come  straight  from  Boogorki,  and  not  knowing 
of  his  intention  to  pass  through  the  village  where  the  Deacon's 
daughter  resided — 

"  Well,  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  be  his !  And  thank  God 
that  it  is  not  our  Romknoushka  !'* 

She  was  still  asleep ;  but  Nadia  was  up  already,  and  busy 
milking  the  cow  in  the  grass-grown  yard,  when  the  stanovoy 
knocked  at  the  wicket-gate  with  his  whip,  which  he  instinc- 
tively held  in  his  hand,  although  he  had  left  his  horse  at 
town  in  the  doctor's  stable,  and  great  was  her  surprise  on 
opening  it  to  see  him  at  so  unusual  a  time.  She  murmured  an 
apology  for  her  house-working  attire,  and  asked  him  into  the 
house ;  but  he  waved  his  only  hand,  and  made  a  gesture  of 
silence  as  he  said — 

"Where's  Pavla  Lavrentievna?" 

"  She's  asleep  still — that  is — I  '11  go  and  see ^" 

«Sh — sh — sh  !  no!  hold  your  tongue,  Nadinka — Nadejda 


Roman  the  Reader 


lo: 


Dmitrievna,"  he  added,  correcting  himself,  "let  her  sleep. 
Did  you  hear  nothing  last  night  ?  were  you  at  church  ?  I  have 
have  just  come  from  the  inquest." 

"  Somebody  was  killed  by  lightning,  they  said,"  answered 
Nadinka,  with  pity  in  her  voice  and  inquiry  in  her  eyes. 

"Is  it  true,  then?" 

"Yes,  too  true,  Nadejda  Dmitrievna.  My  dear  girl,  how 
grieved \  am  for  your  mother  and  you!  But  what  is  to  be 
done?    Such  is  the  will  of  God !" 

She  could  not  bring  herself  to  understand  him  quite,  but 
answered,  "Exactly  so,  Ignaty  SylvesU'Ovitch,"  and  looked 
still  more  inquiringly  into  his  face. 

"There  was  nothing  to  be  done.     I  looked  at  him  last 
night  at  about  nine  o'clock,  and  knew  then  that  the  doctor 
could  not  be  of  any  use;   but  I  rode  on  to  town  for  him, 
and  we  have  just  finished  the  inquest.    They  will  be  here  soon. 
Listen,  listen,  Nadejda  Dmitrievna !"  he  exclaimed  with  great 
conceni,  kneeling  down  by  her  side  and  trying  to  raise  her- 
for  at  his  last  words  she  had  fallen  to  the  ground,  and  was 
weeping  aloud,  according  to  the  Russian  custom-"  for  God's 
sake  don't  make  a  noise  !  we  must  tell  your  mother,  you  know.' 
But  she  continued  her  lamentations  so  loudly,  that  ere  he  had 
raised  himself  from  his  knees,  several  neighbours  had  come  to 
see  what  was  the  matter.  ^ 

"  Is  it  possible,  your  Nobility,"  said  a  tall  thin  woman  with  a 
baby  in  her  arms,  "  that  it  really  is  Romkn  Dmitrievitch?  Is  it 

possible?" 

"  More's  the  pity,  more's  the  pity,  Kyprianovna !  How  shall 
we  break  it  to  the  Deaconess  ?  In  ten  minutes  or  so  they  will 
have  arrived  with  the  deceased." 

Kyprianovna  offered  to  do  it  herself;  and,  like  most  persons 


I04 


Roman  the  Reader 


Roman  the  Reader 


105 


* 


of  her  class,  was  rather  pleased  than  otherwise  that  the  task 
had  devolved  on  her.  The  other  women  were  trying  to 
console  Nadinka,  but  without  the  slightest  success.  Ignaty 
Sylvestrovitch  was  about  to  enter  the  house,  when  Pavla 
Lavrentievna  rushed  out,  and  with  a  screaming  flood  of  tears 
made  her  way  through  the  little  crowd  of  sympathisers,  and, 
followed  by  several  of  them,  ran  to  meet  the  approaching 
throng.  The  rest  stayed  with  Nadia,  who,  having  exhausted 
herself  in  a  very  short  time,  fell  from  one  fainting  fit  into 
another,  frightening  Ignaty  Sylvestrovitch  so  much  that  he 
sent  for  his  wife ;  and  by  the  time  she  arrived,  with  various 
remedies  in  her  little  basket,  the  yard  and  house  were  so 
thronged  with  sympathising  or  inquisitive  people,  that  she  had 
some  difficulty  in  reaching  the  room  where  Nadia,  as  pale  as 
Romkn  himself,  and  perfectly  senseless,  lay  stretched  on  her 
mother's  yet  warm  bed. 

Father  Petre  was  already  there,  very  distressed  and  tearful  j 
the  new  Deacon,  and  the  two  Readers.  Two  old  men  were 
drawing  water  from  the  well  in  the  street,  and  otherwise 
making  preparations  for  their  melancholy  duties.  Half  an 
hour  aftenvards,  Rom^n  lay  on  the  table  in  his  canonical 
garment  brought  from  the  church ;  and  Father  Petre,  in  a  voice 
choked  by  the  heart-breaking  tears  of  old  age,  performed  his 
first  requiem. 

But  above  all  the  voices  of  the  assembled  multitude,  and 
those  of  the  Priest,  Deacon,  and  Readers,  might  be  heard 
Pavla  Lavrentievna's  cry — "Oh,  what  will  become  of  mel 
Who  will  feed  me  now?" 

And  Nadinka  passed  from  the  fifth  faint  to  the  sixth; 
her  sweet  attendant  standing  by  her  and  doing  all  she  could 
to  bring  her  to  consciousness,  and  aided  in  her  pious  work 


I 


by  her    husband's  clerk,  a  retired  sergeant-major,  Andro- 

^' Romkn  was  laid  by  his  father's  side  in  the  churchyard 
at  Elenovka.  Father  Ivan,  grieved  and  shocked  to  the  depths 
of  his  hot  but  loving  heart,  came  to  the  funeral.  On  his 
return  to  Boogorki  he  ordered  a  handsome  wooden  cross 
for  Roman's  grave  and  on  the  ninth^  day  performed  a  requiem. 
It  so  happened  that  Father  Peregrin  had  gone  to  a  distr.nt  town 
to  be  present  at  his  son's  wedding,  and  Father  Ivan  did  duty 
for  him  at  St.  Nicholas'.     It  was  the  first  requiem  that  had  been 

sung  there. 

By  the  fortieth  day  the  cross  was  brought  from  Boogorki, 
and  placed  over  the  green  grave.  On  it  was  this  inscription 
in  Sclavonic;  it  was  in  golden  letters  on  an  ultramarine 
ground : — 


Here  rests  the  Body  of  the  Reader, 

ROMAN  DMITRIEVITCH  GIDEONOFF, 

Who  was  born  November  17TH,  1842, 

And  ended  his  Life,  by  the  Grace  of  God, 

July  iqth,  1864. 

**%\c^  %v&tt  ijsf  gtcKdcnt  lax  tnx.' 


ft 


A  week  or  two  after  the  fortieth^  day,  with  all  its  observances 
and  tears,  had  been  duly  celebrated.  Tatiana  Alexandrovna 
was  sitting  in  the  arbour  for  the  last  time,  as  she  supposed, 

A  See  page  242. 


<i     M' 


I  06 


Roman  the  Reader 


\ 


that  summer,  and  was  cutting  the  leaves  of  the  new  journals 
she  had  just  received,  while  her  children  played  in  the 
garden.  A  brisk  step  caused  her  to  raise  her  eyes  from 
the  book  that  lay  on  her  knees,  and  before  her  she  beheld 
Andronitch,  standing  as  stiff  and  as  straight  as  a  post,  with 
his  arms  pressed  to  his  sides  in  strict  military  style. 

"Zdravid  jalayou,^  Sudarina !"  he  exclaimed,  as  her  eyes 
rested  on  him. 

"Good-day,  Feodoroff,"  replied  Tatiana  Alexandrovna ; 
"what  is  your  errand?" 

"  To  your  mercy,  Sudarina !  Matoushka,  Tatiana  Alexan- 
drovna— about  an  affair,  that  is,  of  my  own;  with  your 
permission  !" 

"Well,  what  is  it?" 

"I  take  the  liberty  of  informing  you  that  I  have  a  wish 
to  enter  into  lawful  matrimony." 

"Ah !  well,  I  am  glad  to  hear  it,"  said  she.  " '  It  is  not 
good  for  man  to  be  alone,'  you  know.  And  who  is  the 
bride?" 

"  That's  the  thing,  Sudarina !  You  see,  there  is  no  bride 
at  present;  that  is,  I  have  made  up  my  mind  as  far  as  I 
am  concerned;  but  their^  female  parent,  Sudarina,  will  not 

give  their  consent.   So  I  thought "  And  honest  Andronitch, 

in  great  confusion  and  a  profuse  perspiration,  suddenly  became 
silent 

"So  you  want  my  advice,  I  suppose,"  said  Tatiana 
Alexandrovna;  "but  you  must  understand  that  I  can't  at- 
tempt to  give  it  unless  you  tell  me  all  the  circumstances.'* 

*  "I  wish  you  health."     The  usual  greeting  of  soldiers  to  their  superiors. 
2  People  of  a  certain  class  wishing  to  speak  very  politely  in  Russ,  always 
use  \hQj>luralt  instead  of  the  singular  number. 


Roinan  the  Reader 


107 


"Exactly  so,  Sudarina.  The  fact  is,  I  asked  Petrovna, 
the  Reader's  wife,  to  speak  to  the  Deaconess ;  but  they  are 
proud,  Sudarina,  excessively  proud-they  won't  hear  of  such 

a  thin"^  ''* 

"wiiat  a  tiresome,  disagreeable  old  body  that  Deaconess 
is  t  (God  forgive  me  for  judging  her !)  I  am  afraid,  Feodorofif, 
you  will  have  some  trouble  with  her,  even  if  you  persuade 
her  to  consent.  So  it  is  Nadinka?  What  did  the  Deaconess 
depute  Petrovna  to  say?" 

"They  were  very  angry  with  Petrovna  for  domg  my 
mission,"  said  poor  Andronitch  in  a  low  voice,  as  if  he 
were  afraid  of  Pavla  Lavrentievna  hearing  him;  "and  told 
her  they  would  as  soon  see  Nadejda  Dmitrievna  mamed 
to  a  cat-merchant  as  to  me.  It's  very  hurting,  Sudanna. 
And  they  forbade  Petrovna  the  house ;  and  the  Reader,  he 
forbade  his  wife  to  undertake  such  tasks  for  the  future.  I 
am  sure  I  don't  know  what  to  do,  Sudarina." 

"I  am  afraid  it  is  rather  a  forlorn  hope,  Andronitch; 
for  she  is  as  obstinate  as  she  is  cross.  But  I  think  you 
had  better  first  find  out  if  Nadejda  Dmitrievna  entertams 
the  same  opinion  as  her  mother."  ^ 

"  Exactly  so,  Sudarina.    The  fact  is,  that  she  does  not, 
answered  Feodoroff,  cheerfully. 

"Then  that  quite  alters  the  case!  Why  do  you  not  go 
to  Pavla  Lavrentievna  yourself,  and  boldly  ask  for  her 
daughter,  like  a  brave  man  as  you  are,  Feodoroff,"  she  said, 
glancing  at  his  breast,  on  which  shone  a  row  of  little  crosses 
and  medals,  and  motioning  with  her  hand  towards  them. 

"I  am  not  sure  of  myself,  Sudarina;  for  I  know  that 
if  she  said  anything  against  my  calling,  I  should  not  be  able 
to  keep  a  civil  tongue.     And  why  should  she  despise  me? 


I 


w 


io8 


Roman  the  Reader 


In  what  respect  am  I  not  a  bridegroom  for  her  daughter? 
In  years,  maybe,  but  that's  all.  Thank  God,  I  served  His 
Imperial  Majesty  Nichola'i  Pavlovitch  (the  kingdom  of  Heaven 
be  his !)  and  His  Imperial  Majesty  the  Emperor  Alexandre 
Nicholaevitch  (God  grant  him  long  to  live !),"  and  he  crossed 
himself  as  he  said  this,  "for  twenty-five  years  in  faith  and 
truth.  I  have  a  good  place,  thanks  to  his  Nobility  (God 
grant  him  good  health,  and  to  you  also,  Sudarina!),  and  a 

trade,  and "  he  pointed  to  his  medals  with  his  right  hand, 

and  fairly  winked  with  emotion. 

Tatiana  Alexandrovna  continued  cutting  her  books  all  the 
time  this  conversation  was  going  on,  and  she  now  bent  her 
head  still  lower. 

"  They  are  so  dreadfully  proud,  are  the  Deaconess,  Sudarina," 
pursued  the  unfortunate  lover,  after  a  profuse  use  of  a  checked 
pocket-handkerchief.  "For  instance,  Tatiana  Alexandrovna, 
on  Tuesday  it  was  the  name's-day  of  Nadejda  Dmitrievna, 
and  I  made  her  a  little  pair  of  sboes,^ — neat,  accurate  little 
shoes,  with  high  heels,  and  channel  soles — quite  a  sight  to 
see  !  I  took  her  measure  by  my  eye,"  he  continued,  warming 
on  the  subject  like  a  true  amateur,  "and  put  white  linings 
to  them,  and  metallic  eyelet  holes,  and  silken  ribbons, 
Sudarina  j — ^a  first-rate  article.  So  I  wrapped  them  up  in 
a  French  pocket-handkerchief,  and  went  to  congratulate 
Nadejda  Dmitrievna.  I  entered,  and  I  said,  'Allow  me, 
Nadejda  Dmitrievna,  to  wish  you  joy  on  your  Angel's  day, 
and  to  present  you  with  a  specimen  of  my  work.'  'Akh, 
akh,  akh,'  says  the  Deaconess,  *  what  nice  shoes !  they  will 
just  fit  me!'  she  saysj  and  she  kicked  off  her  own  and 
began  to  put  mine  on.     *Nadinka  has  a  new  pair  already,' 

^  A  great  portion  of  the  Russian  soldiers  are  boot  and  shoe-makers. 


.  ,  i  -_  ^  rr;»t-,  ■  >J»r^ 


Roman  the  Reader 


109 


she  says.  And  she  squeezed  her  feet  into  them  before  my 
very  eyes !  I  never  felt  such  a  fool  in  my  life,  Sudarina !" 
concluded  Andronitch,  gravely. 

Tatiana  Alexandrovna  could  not  help  smiling,  though  she 
fully  sympathised  with  the  honest  soldier.     "  Rude  creature  1" 

she  said,  indignantly. 

"And  Nadejda  Dmitrievna,  she  said  nothing,  only  looked 
sorrowful  like.  And  her  new  shoes  were  not  to  be  compared 
to  mine.  Besides,  it  is  not  at  all  becoming  for  an  old  woman 
like  the  Deaconess  to   go    stumping  about  in   high  heels, 

Sudarina." 

« I  should  think  she  would  feel  very  uncomfortable  in  them, 
Feodoroff,  not  being  accustomed  to  it.  So  you  see  she  will 
receive  a  punishment  of  her  own  infliction." 

"  Exactly  so.  Which  I  am  sure  she  will !"  said  Andronitch, 
brightening  up  at  the  idea.  "  But  I  was  going  to  beg— 
Tatiana  Alexandrovna,  Matoushka  !  do  not  refuse  my  humble 
request !  speak  a  word  for  me  to  the  Deaconess  !  Perhaps  she 
will  listen  to  you.     That  is,  if  you  approve  of  it,  Sudarina." 

"  It  is  a  difficult  task,  Feodoroff,  and  a  delicate  one  too.  I 
hardly  know  how  to  act.  But  if  Ignaty  Sylvestrovitch  has  no 
objection,  I  will  see  what  I  can  do  for  you.  I  must  ask  his 
opinion  and  his  advice.     But  I  do  think  the  Deaconess  rather 

likes  me." 

Down  went  the  warrior  on  his  knees,  and  would  have 
touched  the  earth  with  his  brow  had  not  Tatiana  Alexandrovna 
begun  to  scold  the  instant  he  made  his  first  movement  j  it  had 
the  effect  of  bringing  Andronitch  to  his  feet  like  a  professed 
tumbler.  It  was  beginning  to  get  damp;  Tatiana  Alexan- 
drovna called  the  children  indoors,  and  once  more  setting  tlie 
sergeant's  mind  at  rest,  she  returned  to  the  house. 


i 


no 


Roman  the  Reader 


,  1 


Pavla  Lavrentievna  was  indeed  very  indignant  and  grand 
at  Andronitch's  presumption,  and  of  course  wreaked  all  her 
spite  upon  Nadia.  The  poor  girl  herself,  reflecting  that  she 
had  now  lost  her  dearest  friend  and  only  protector,  and 
on  the  improbability  of  becoming  the  wife  of  anybody 
belonging  to  her  own  immediate  class,  was  more  than  merely 
willing  to  marry  FeodorofF.  She  liked  him  for  his  good 
looks  and  manly  bearing,  his  music  (he  played  on  the  violin 
at  all  the  village  feasts),  and  his  tales  of  his  military  career, 
and  respected  him  for  his  sobriety  and  industry ;  in  a  word, 
she  wished  with  all  her  heart  that  it  could  come  about,  and 
was  beginning  even  to  feel  a  certain  degree  of  something 
like  tenderness  towards  him,  of  which  however  she  was 
intensely  ashamed  in  the  depths  of  her  modest  soul.  She 
laid  the  foundation  of  some  castles  in  the  air  too,  relative 
to  her  future  home,  which  always  caused  her  to  blush  crimson 
when  she  remembered  that  it  was  not  sure  to  be.  She  even 
went  so  far  as  to  imagine  how  nice  it  would  be  if  her 
mother  were  to  give  up  the  house  to  the  newly-married  pair, 
and  go  to  visit  the  other  daughters  by  turns.  She  was  very 
busy  digging  up  carrots  and  beet-roots  for  winter  store,  when 
Tatiana  Alexandrovna,  who  had  found  out  where  she  was, 
knocked  at  the  fence,  and  gently  bade  her  open  the  door 
leading  to  the  river. 

"  Nadinka,"  she  said,  after  a  little  conversation  on  common 
subjects,  "who  do  you  think  has  sent  me  here?  Now  do 
please  be  open,  there's  a  good  girl,  and  tell  me  if  I  am  to 
persuade  Maminka  to  consent,  or  not." 

Of  course  a  burst  of  tears  was  the  opening  answer. 

"I  am  not  going  to  persuade  you  either  one  way  or  the 
other,  my  poor  dear,"   said  Tatiana  Alexandrovna;    "but  I 


Roman  the  Reader 


III 


must  have  an  answer,  you  know,  before  I  go  into  the  house, 

or  return  home." 

"You  know  best,  Tatiana  Alexandrovna,"  sobbed  Nadia. 
« I  dare  not— I'm  frightened.  I'm  sure  I  don't  know  what  I 
ought  to  say  !"  with  another  burst. 

"  Well,  have  it  out  first,  and  then  perhaps  you'll  be  able  to 
decide.     I'll  wait  a  bit.     Only  make  haste,  please." 

"  The  thing  is,"  said  Nadia,  with  a  tremendous  sob,  "  that 

he's  a  good  man." 

"  I  know  he  is.     Certainly.     Well  ?" 

"Well— that's  all." 

"  Once  for  all,  that  is  your  answer?     Further?*' 

"  You  know,  yourself,  Tatiana  Alexandrovna." 

"  Oh,  then,  with  God's  blessing,  we  will  set  it  all  to  rights 
at  once,  Nadinka  !  Don't  cry,  dear.  Come  into  the  house  in 
a  quarter  of  an  hour.  We  must  go  through  it  sooner  or  later, 
so  let  us  have  it  over  to-day." 

It  was  not  without  a  considerable  mustering  of  her  moral 
courage  that  the  young  lady  entered  the  Deaconess's  domain. 
She  w'Ls  enjoying  an  early  tea,  with  delicious  new  honey,  thick 
cream,  and  the  most  tempting  krendels^  imaginable.  Wher- 
ever Tatiana  Alexandrovna  went  she  was  sure  of  a  welcome- 
even  from  Pavla  Lavrentievna ;  and  by  way  of  propitiating  her 
she  accepted  a  cup  of  the  herb  tea  (for  the  Deaconess  only 
allowed  herself  Chinese  tea  on  holidays),  and  praised  it  and 
the  biscuits  as  they  really  deserved. 

Fortune   favoured  her;  for  although   the   Deaconess  was 

very  nearly  getting  into  a  dreadful  passion  at  the  bare  idea  of 

Nadia's  being  willing  to  marry  anybody,  she  was  reconciled  to 

the  proposition  itself  by  Tatiana  Alexandrovna's  representa- 

1  A  species  of  bakery  much  used  with  tea  and  coffee. 


s*^— — 


H 


112 


Roman  the  Reader 


tions  of  the  advantages  it  offered  to  herself.  She  hinted,  too, 
at  the  possibility  and  probability  of  Feodoroffs  having  rank 
conferred  on  him,  and  concluded  by  repeating  his  offer.  "  Of 
course,"  she  said,  "  it  remains  in  your  hands  to  refuse  or  not ; 
but  really,  Pavla  Lavrentievna,  all  things  considered,  I  would 
advise  you  to  give  them  your  blessing.  Otherwise,"  she  con- 
tinued, rather  grandly,  "  I  shall  feel  that  I  have  offended  you, 
and  of  course  shall  be  obliged  to  give  up  the  pleasure  of  your 
further  acquaintance." 

Such  a  multitude  of  different  feelings  were  struggling  in  the 
head  and  heart  of  the  old  lady  that  she  did  not  know  which  to 
listen  to.  She  did  not  like  to  give  in;  she  did  not  like  the 
notion  of  any  bridegroom  but  an  ecclesiastic. 

And  had  she  not  always  said  that  Nadia  was  a  Christ's- 

bride  ? 

Besides,  what  would  her  brother  at  town,  and  his  wife,  and 

their  son  at  the  university,  say  ? 

-  Just  as  if  they  cared,  though !  proud  stuck-up  things  that 
they  were  !  She'd  show  them  she  did  not  value  the'r  opinion, 
she  would.     Thank  God,  she  could  get  on  without  it ! 

But  she  hated  his  military  phiz,  she  did  :  and  his  Petersburg 
talk,  and  his  short  hair.  "  But  there  !  what's  to  be  done  ?  we 
are  wretched  orphans ;  we  must  thank  our  Creator  for  what 
He  is  pleased  to  send  !" 

On  which  consoling  thought  she  remained /jc^,  in  a  sniffing 
state  of  tearfulness.  Nadia,  who  had  not  dared  to  show  her- 
self before,  now  sidled  into  the  room.  The  Deaconess  was 
fairly  ashamed  of  scolding  her  daughter  before  Tatiana  Alex- 
androvna ;  so  she  desired  her  to  wash  and  comb  herself  im- 
mediately, and  to  put  on  her  best  dress. 

"  Tatiana  Alexandrovna  has  taken  the  trouble  to  ask  your 


Roman  the  Reader 


113 


hand  for  Anton  Andronovitch,"  she  said ;  "  and  whether  you 
wish  it  or  not,  (I  do  not  ask  you,  Nadejda  Dmitrievna,  I  am 
your  female  parent,  and  have  the  right  to  dispose  of  you !)  you 
are  to  be  married  to  him.     Sh— sh !     Not  a  word  !     Dress 

yourself!" 

Having  so  far  succeeded,  Tatiana  Alexandrovna  bade  her 
capricious  hostess  farewell;  and  that  same  evening  Andron- 
ovitch, who  was  waiting  in  the  counting-house  to  hear  his  fate 
from  her,  having  decked  himself  in  all  his  crosses  and  medals, 
and  taking  the  Deacon  and  his  fellow-clerk  to  act  as  chorus  in 
the  whole  affair,  had  the  satisfaction  of  finding  himself  Nad- 
inka's  affianced  husband. 

In  three  weeks'  time  they  were  married. 


■  m^ 


Confession  and  Communion 


115 


'  ) 


CONFESSION    AND    COMMUNION, 


*♦  Q.  What  is  meant  by  Communion? 

^'A.  The  believer  receives  the  very  Body  of  Christ  in  the  form  of  bread, 
and  the  very  Blood  of  Christ  in  the  form  of  wine. 

**  Q.  What  benefits  does  the  communicant  receive? 

«M.  He  becomes  one  with  Christ,  and  thus  is  entitled  to  everlasting  life. 

**  Q.  What  is  Confession? 

«M.  The-person  who  has  sinned  after  his  Baptism  confesses  his  sins  to 
the  Priest,  and  through  him  receives  absolution  from  Jesus  Christ  Him- 
self."— Short  Catechism. 


THERE  is  no  such  ceremony  as  Confirmation  in  the 
Greco-Russian  Church;  a  child  continues  to  receive 
the  Holy  Sacrament  in  one  kind  only^  from  the  time  of  Bap- 
tism about  twice  a  year— at  Easter-tide  and  on  its  Saint's- 
day— until  it  is  seven  years  old,  when  it  ought,  by  the  rules 
of  its  Church,  to  be  brought  to  Confession.  The  lower  orders 
take  their  little  ones  to  the  Sacrament  ever}'  time  they  are  the 

least  ill. 

Let  it  not  be  imagined  that  a  child,  past  absolute  infancy, 
approaches  the  Amvon  without  a  feeling  of  undefined  reverence 
and  awe,  even  before  it  knows  the  meaning  of  the  rite  that  it 
is  observing.  The  heightened  colour,  the  devout  crossings 
and  prostrations  when  the  Priest  appears  and  takes  the  Cup 

^  See  page  81. 


!* 


and  Spoon  from  the  Deacon's  hand,  prove  that  indeed  we 
ought  neither  to  say  nor  ^ 

**  Dream  that  heavenly  notes 

To  childhood's  ears  are  vain." 

A  little  one  of  three  or  four  years  old,  with  the  usual  amount 
of  capacities,  and  good  health  and  disposition,  shows,  by  the 
quiet  and  subdued  character  of  its  innocent  play  during  the 
rest  of  the  day,  that  it  experiences  a  "  soothing  charm"  beyond 
our  comprehension. 

The  preparation  for  the  first  Confession  is  a  very  solemn  and 
trying  thing  for  delicate  and  excitable  children,  though  by  far 
the  greater  number  take  it  as  a  matter  of  course.  I  never 
heard  of  a  child  crying  at  first  Communion,  nor  of  behaving 
itself  otherwise  than  as  a  reasonable  being.  But  the  Russians 
are  self-possessed  from  their  very  cradles,  and  go  through 
ceremonies  with  the  utmost  calmness  and  resignation,  which 
would  astonish  many  English  people. 

We  will  suppose  that  little  S^schinka^  B is  seven  or  eight 

years  old,  and  has  been  regularly  brought  to  the  Holy  Com- 
munion twice  a  year  since  her  baptism,  unless  when  sickness 
or  very  bad  weather  prevented  it.  She  is  a  good  little  girl  in 
general,  without  having  a  decidedly  serious  or  "pious"  turn; 
is  amiable,  truthful,  and  religiously  disposed  in  the  Russian 
acceptation  of  the  term,— that  is  to  say,  she  does  not  forget  to 
say  her  prayers  night  and  morning ;  reverently  standing  before 
the  picture,  and  prostrating  herself  at  least  three  times,  goes  up 
to  the  priest  of  her  own  accord  for  his  blessing  when  he  comes 
to  the  house,  and  stands  immoveable  at  church,  looking 
straight  before  her  and  not  staring  about  her.  Her  mother 
thinks  she  is  too  little  to  go  to  Confession ;  Sdschinka  is  her 

1  Dim.  of  Alexandra. 


1 


ii6 


Confession  and  Communion 


eldest  child,  and  she  never  yet  had  doings  with  other  children; 
she  feels  nervous,  and  would  like  to  put  it  off  till  August,  when 
people  sometimes  prepare  themselves  and  partake  of  the  Holy 
Sacrament  in  preference  to  the  Great  Fast,  as  they  call  Lent ; 
but  her  husband  advises  her  to  lose  no  time,  and  her  sister, 
who  has  had  a  large  family,  speaks  to  her  about  it  very 
seriously,  and  brings  forward  many  examples  of  naughty 
children  being  suddenly  reformed,  and  a  completely  new  tone 
of  feeling  and  practice  being  observable  in  others  who  were 
simply  troublesome  or  mischievous  —  also  some  ifew  very 
melancholy  instances  of  particularly  sweet  children  dying 
without  Confession  after  seven  or  eight  years  of  age,  to  the 
never-ending  remorse  and    self-reproach    of   their  too  fond 

parents.     This  last  argument  decided  Mrs.  B ,  for  nothing 

disturbs  a  Russian  conscience  more  than  the  idea  of  dying,  or 
suffering  others  to  die,  unshriven. 

Sischinka's  religious   attainments   are  not  by  any  means 
great,  but  she  is  considered  pretty  well  prepared  because  she 
knows  the  prayers  most  common  in  the  Greco-Russian  Church. 
These  are  far  more  numerous    than    those  exacted  by  the 
Anglican  Church  from  the  youth  or  maiden  about  to  be  con- 
firmed,!  and  being  in    the   Sclavonic    dialect,   they  present 
difficulties  which   the   English  prayers  do  not.     The  Lord's 
Prayer,  Nicene  Creed,  and  Ten  Commandments  are  the  first 
that  are  learnt,  of  course ;  besides  these,  there  are  the  Hymn 
to  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Russian  version  of  "  Hail,  Mary,"  and 
another  Hymn  of  Praise  to  her ;  morning  and  evening  prayers 
before  and  after  meat,  and  before  and  after  learning.     Any 
great  knowledge  of  Sacred  History  is  not  to  be  expected  from 

1  See  Third  Paragraph  at  the  end  of  the  Catechism  in  the  Book  of 
Common  Prayer. 


\ 


Confession  and  Communion 


117 


such  young  children,  and  it  is  to  be  observed  that  the  history 
and  stories  from  the  Old  Testament  are  always  mastered 
before  beginning  the  history  of  our  Lord.  Sdschinka  receives 
the  intimation  that  she  is  to  "do  her  devotions"  this  year,  as 
a  matter  of  course:  is  she  not  nearly  eight  years  old?  She 
knows  that  it  is  all  the  same  before  God,  but  thinks  it  will  be 
very  terrible  to  confess  her  sins  to  Father  Paul. 

"  How  ashamed  I  shall  be,"  she  thinks,  and  perhaps  says 
to  her  mother  or  a  little  friend,  "  to  tell  how  I  made  grimaces 
at  grandmamma  behind  her  back,  for  not  letting  me  take  off 
my  wadded  jacket  when  I  was  so  hot  after  the  bath  !  or  how  I 
shook  the  liulka  when  Vasinka  cried,  and  would  not  go  to 
sleep  !     Of  course  that  was  very  sinful,  because  I  was  angry. 
Yes,  and  once  I  said  my  prayers  before  I  had  washed  myself, 
and  nurse  says  that  it  is  a  sin.     But  then,  certainly.  Father 
Paul  is  very  kind,  and  it  will  be  very  nice  to  be  forgiven." 
The  new  white  frock,  pink  sash,  and  curled  hair  of  the  day  ol 
Communion  comes  into  the  head  of  the  little  Russian,  who 
inherits  her  ancestresses'  love  of  dress  to  a  certain  degree,  and 
altogether  she  looks  forward  to  it  with  pleasure   and  pride. 
Her'^father  calls  on  Father  Paul,  and  begs  him  to  prepare  his 
little  daughter.     He  comes  twice  a  week  for  a  month  or  so, 
examines  her,  and  explains  the  Catechism  and  Sacred  History 
to  her,  gives  her  good  advice  and  interprets  her  prayers  to  her. 
This  is  after  Christmas,  and  the  Sacrament  will  be  administered 

to  her  in  Lent. 

The  Great  Fast  approaches,  preceded  by  three  preparatory 
weeks,  answering,  doubtless,  to  the  Septuagesima,  Sexagesima, 
and  Quinquagesima  of  the  Anglican  Church.  The  first  of 
these  weeks  is  called  Sploshndia,  an  untranslatable  term,  which 
signifies  that  the  Wednesday  and  Friday  of  such  a  week  (of 


.'(t 


• 

r 


!■ 


I< 


I'll 


ii8  Confession  and  Communion 

which  there  are  several  in  the  year)  are  not  observed  by  a  fast; 
the  second  is  like  all  others.    But  although,  strictly  speaking, 
Lent  commences  with  all  its  rigours  on  the  Monday  after 
Quinquagesima,  meat  is  eaten  for  the  last  time  on  Sexages.ma 
Sunday.     In  the  North-east  Governments  this  last  meal  of 
animal  food  is  invariably /^/-;«^«V  a  tiny  pudding  the  size  of 
a  child's  ear  (which  it  greatly  resembles  in  shape),  filled  with 
beef  minced  to  the  veriest  paste.    They  are  boiled  for  eight  or 
ten  minutes  in  water,  and  eaten  hot  in  vast  quantities,  with  a 
mixture  of  sour  cream,  vinegar,  and  pepper.     The  preparation 
olpdl-,niny  is  a  very  long  job,  but  is  invariably  set  about  with 
the  utmost  good-will,  and  often,  in  domestic  families,  all  the 
members  assist,  just  for  the  fun  of  the  thing.     This  farewell 
feast  is  followed  by  the  Butter  Week  or  Carnival,  the  festivities 
of  which  vary  according  to  the  distance  of  a  place  from  the 
capitals  or  government  cities.     In  large  towns,  and  particularly 
in  St.  Petersburg  and  Moscow,  the  mad  whirl  of  amusements, 
though  not  to  be  compared  to  that  of  the  Carnival  of  the 
South,  is  next  to  indescribable.     There  are  morning  as  well  as 
evening  performances  at  the  operas  and  other  theatres,  public 
ice-hills,  and  a  regular  fair,  with  shows,  conjurers,  circuses, 
and  play-actings,  on  the  great  open  squares  (called  Places)  of 
the  Northern  Palmyra;  here,  however,  nothing  is  sold  but 
eatables  and  drinkables.    In  the  interior  these  gaieties  are 
confined  to  promiscuous  visitings,  pancake   eatings  (a  mere 
excuse  for  giving  or  attending  a  dinner-party),  sometimes 
private  theatricals,  costumed  balls,  and  nearly  always  ice-hills, 
for  high  and  low.    Thursday,  Friday,  and  Saturday  in  Sexa- 
gesima  week  are  public  holidays,  and  no  business  is  done; 
the  afternoons  are  devoted  to  driving  out,  the  more  furiously 
'  A  Tartar  word  which  signifies  "my  ear." 


Confession  and  Communion  "9 

and  frightfully  the  better,  and  sliding  down  the  ice-hills  The 
acme  of  enjoyment  is  on  Quinquagesima  Sunday,  which  is 
called  Pardoning  Day. 

During  this  Butter  Week  the  rules  of  the  Church  permit  eggs, 
milk  in  all  its  forms,  and  fish ;  and  it  is  in  consequence  of  the 
important  part  that  butter  plays  in  the  cookery  of  these  day 
that  the  week  takes  its  name.     Buckwheat  pancakes  are  the 
Iple  dish  of  noble  and  peasant  from  Monday  till  Pardoning 

Day  included.  .      . 

The  workmen  or  burghers  make  what  they  call  a  city  m 
different  parts  of  the  town  or  viUage-simply  a  mass  of  hard- 
beaten  snow,   ten   or  twelve   feet  high,   and  five   or  six  m 
diameter.     A  flag  waves  on  its  summit,  and  one  party  defend 
while  another  besieges  it    The  arms  used  by  the  b-egers  -« 
generally  blunt  old  swords  that  formerly  graced  &e  sides  of 
civil  employes,  but  which  are  sharp  enough  to  cut  into  the 
snow  and  undermine  the  mayor  and  his  supporters,  whose  only 
weapons  are  dead  hens,  dogs,  and  cats.     The  victorious  par  y 
compel  the  vanquished  to  treat  them  to  refreshment,  exclusively 
of  a  liquid  description,  at  the  nearest  tavern. 

The  B family,  of  course,  take  their  part,  however  trifling, 

in  the  gaieties  of  the  Butter  Week,  which  tend  rather  to  banish 
from  Sdschinka's  mind  the  subject  of  the  approaching  d^ 
votions ;  but  she  is  suddenly  reminded  of  the  nearness  of  the 
Great  Fast  by  the  solemn  booming  of  the  largest  bell  on 
Pardoning  Day,  which  calls  the  orthodox  to  vespers   and    o 
the  commencement  of  Lent.    She  and  her  mother  set  forth  to 
church,  with  difficulty  avoiding  accidents  from  the  crowds  of 
drivers  and  their  restive  horses  that  they  meet ;  but  before  they 
reach  the  church  the  streets  become  emptier  and  quieter. 
It  is  very  quiet  in  the  church  too.  and  Sdschinka's  mother 


ii8  Confession  and  Communion 

which  there  are  several  in  the  year)  are  not  observed  by  a  fast; 
the  second  is  like  all  others.    But  although  stncly  speakmg 
Lent  commences  with  all  its  rigours  on  the  Monday  after 
Quinquagesima,  meat  is  eaten  for  the  last  t.me  on  Sexages  ma 
Sunday.     In  the  North-east  Governments  t"^.  1-*  "'^^  f 
animal  food  is  invariably  A//-;«^«>'.^  a  tiny  puddmg  the  size  of 
a  child's  ear  (which  it  greatly  resembles  in  f -P^'/"^.^"'* 
beef  minced  to  the  veriest  paste.    They  are  bo>led  for  e.ght  or 
ten  minutes  in  water,  and  eaten  hot  in  vast  quantities,  w.  h  a 
mixture  of  sour  cream,  vinegar,  and  pepper.     The  preparation 
of  pdl-mtny  is  a  very  long  job,  but  is  invariably  set  abou  with 
the  utmost  good-wiU,  and  often,  in  domestic  famdies,  all  the 
members  assist,  just  for  the  fun  of  the  thing,    '^^f^ 
feast  is  followed  by  the  Butter  Week  or  Carnival,  the  festivities 
of  which  vary  according  to  the  distance  of  a  place  from  the 
capitals  or  government  cities.     In  large  towns,  and  particularly 
in  St.  Petersburg  and  Moscow,  the  mad  whiri  of  amusements, 
though  not  to  be  compared  to  that  of  the  Carnival  of  the 
South,  is  next  to  indescribable.     There  are  morning  as  well  as 
evenin-  performances  at  the  operas  and  other  theatres,  public 
ice-hills,  and  a  regular  fair,  with  shows,  conjurers,  circuses 
and  play-actings,  on  the  great  open  squares  (called  Places)  oi 
the  Northern  Palmyra;  here,  however,  nothing  is  sold  but 
eatables  and  drinkables.     In  the  interior  these  gaiet.es  are 
confined  to  promiscuous  visitings,  pancake   eatings  (a  mere 
excuse  for   giving  or   attending  a  dinner-party),   sometimes 
private  theatricals,  costumed  balls,  and  neariy  always  ice-hills, 
for  high  and  low.    Thursday,  Friday,  and  Saturday  in  Sexa- 
gesima  week  are  public  holidays,  and  no  business  is  done ; 
the  afternoons  are  devoted  to  driving  out,  the  more  furiously 
1  A  Tartar  word  which  signifies  "my  ear." 


\ 


■\ 


I 


Confession  and  Communion  ii9 

and  frightfully  the  better,  and  sliding  down  the  ice-hills     The 
IL  of  enjoyment  is  on  Quinquagesima  Sunday,  which  is 

railed  Pardoning  Day. 

During  this  Butter  Week  the  rules  of  the  Church  permit  eggs 
milk  in  111  its  forms,  and  fish ;  and  it  is  in  consequ-ce  of  A^^ 
important  part  that  butter  plays  m  the  cookery  of  Aes   days 
that  the  week  takes  its  name,     buckwheat  pancakes  j    he 
staple  dish  of  noble  and  peasant  from  Monday  till  Pardomng 

^r trlten  or  burghers  make  what  they  call  a  ci^ j 
different  parts  of  the  town  or  -"age-simply  a  mass  of  ^ard- 
beaten  snow,  ten  or  twelve  feet  high,  and  «-  or  jx  m 
diameter.    A  flag  waves  on  its  summit,  and  one  V^^^^^^ 
while  another  besieges  it.    The  arms  used  by  '^e  bes  e  e-^^^^ 
generally  blunt  old  swords  that  formerly  graced  the  s^des  of 
civil  clployts,  but  which  are  sharp  enough  to  -t  into  the 
snow  and  undermine  the  mayor  and  his  supporters,  whose  only 
weapoTs  are  dead  hens,  dogs,  and  cats.     The  victorious  party 
lompel  the  vanquished  to  treat  them  to  refreshment,  exclusively 
of  a  liquid  description,  at  the  nearest  tavern. 
"  The  ;—  family,  of  course,  take  their  part,  however  tnfling 
in  the  gaieties  of  the  Butter  Week,  which  tend  rather  to  banish 
ftorn  Sdschinka-s  mind  the  subject  of  the  approaching  de- 
voTons  ■  but  she  is  suddenly  reminded  of  the  nearness  of  the 
ct    Fa.t  by  the  solemn  booming  of  the  largest  bdl  on 
Pardoning  Day,  which  calls  the  orthodox  to  vespers,  and  to 
le  coZencement  of  Lent.    She  and  her  mother  s^  orth  to 
church,  with  difficulty  avoiding  accidents  ^^^^ '^^^^^ 
drivers  and  their  restive  horses  that  they  meet ;  but  before  they 
reach  the  church  the  streets  become  emptier  and  quieter. 
^  if  very  quiet  in  the  church  too,  and  Sdsclunka's  mother 


I20 


Confession  and  Communion 


! 


whispers  to  her  neighbour  that  it  "smells"  of  the  Great  Fast 
already.  The  orthodox  light  tapers  before  the  pictures,  and 
pray  that  they  may  pass  Lent  devoutly,  be  received  to  Holy 
Communion,  and  live  to  see  a  joyful  Easter.  The  vespers  are 
quietly  performed,  and  at  their  conclusion  the  Priests  take 
leave  of  each  other  and  of  the  congregation  by  prostrating 
themselves  on  the  Amvon,  as  though  taking  leave  or  asking 
pardon.  The  verb  "  to  forgive,  to  pardon,"  is  the  same  as 
"  to  say  farewell,  to  bid  adieu,"  so  that  the  word  prastchaite 
may  be  translated  or  understood  either  as  "good-bye"  or 

"  pardon  me." 

This  custom,  I  am  told,  originated  in  the  earliest  ages  of 
Christianity  in  Russia,  when  holy  men  and  women  used  to 
separate  themselves  from  the  world  during  Lent,  and  retire  to 
caves  or  huts,  and  before  they  set  out  they  used  to  take  leave 
of,  and  ask  pardon  for  any  ill  done,  or  offence  committed 
against,  their  friends  and  neighbours. 

After  vespers  the  congregation  kiss  and  take  leave  of  each 
other— of  course  I  mean  such  as  are  acquainted.  The  clergy 
of  the  place  go  to  each  other's  houses,  and  sing  what  are  called 
Stikhi}  which  I  suppose  I  may  translate  "  spiritual  songs." 

Before  the  family  retire  to  rest,  during  the  course  of  the 
evening,  the  ceremony  of  bidding  farewell  and  asking  pardon 
of  each  other  is  gone  through  again  between  the  members,  old 
and  young.  The  servants  come  in,  prostrating  themselves  at 
their  master's  and  mistress's  feet,  who  in  their  turn  ask  their 
pardon  and  kiss  them.  Personal  forgiveness  is  never  expressed, 
the  answer  always  being  "  God  will  forgive  you."  Being  now 
"  in  peace  and  charity  with  all  men,"  the  orthodox  go  to  bed, 
to  awake  to  all  the  strictness  of  the  Fast. 

^  Literally,  verses.  .  . 


Confession  and  Communion 


121 


The  next  day  is  called  Clean  Monday;  the  house  is  scrubbed 
thoroughly—"  to  wash  away  the  butter,"  they  say— and  the 
family  go  to  the  bath.    The  Great  Fast  has  begun  !    No  English 
person  can  imagine  the  rigour  with  which  it  is  kept  by  those 
who  keep  it  at  all :  very  few  are  those  who  do  not.     The  first, 
fourth,  and  seventh,  or  Passi6n  Week,  are  the  most  stnctly 
observed,  and  those  whose  health  will  not  permit  of  abstmence 
from  meat  for  eight  weeks  (counting  the  Carnival)  always  con- 
trive to  fast  during  them.     There  are  persons,  however,  who 
physically  cannot  fast,  but  these  are  very  rarely  met  with,  and 
they  are  always  dreadfully  ashamed  of  themselves.     Dunng 
the  whole  time  every  article  of  food  that  can  be  traced  to  an 
animal  (except  fish,  which  is,  however,  considered  a  luxury, 
and  not  eaten  by  the  religious  during  the  whole  of  Lent,  and 
by  ordinary  fasters  during  the  three  weeks  above-mentioned)  is 
banished  from  the  table.     Many  old  ladies  (who  are  always  the 
most  rigorous  fasters)  will  not  use  sugar,  because  it  is  purified 
with  bullock's  blood;  they  substitute  honey,  raisins,  or  preserves 
boiled  with  honey,  for  sugar.     The  universal  opinion  is  that 
the  most  trying  diet  is  tea  and  coffee  without  cream.     They 
put  sUces  of  lemon,  preserves,  raspberry  and  other  syrups  m 
their  tea;  walnuts,  blanched  almonds,  or  milk  of  almonds,  or 
poppy-seeds  in  the  coffee.     There  is  a  distinct  set  of  kitchen 
utensils  on  purpose  for  fast  cookery.     The  very  iron  ladles 
are  changed.     A  knife  that  has  buttered  one  slice  of  bread 
cannot  be  used  to  cut  a  second  dry  slice  for  a  faster;  another 
knife  would  be  used,  and  the  sUce  cut  from  the  other  side  of 
the  loaf.     It  is  astonishing  how  they  contrive  to  subsist  at  a 
time  when  fresh  fruit  and  vegetables  are  not  to  be  procured. 
Here  is  a  dinner  or  two  for  examples  :— 

First  dinner.-h  pasty,  made  of  minced  and  fried  sour 


/  i 


} 


122 


Confession  and  Communion 


Confession  and  Communion 


123 


cabbage.     Soup  of  dried  white  mushrooms,  fried  onions,  and 
potatoes.     Cutlets  of  rice,  mth  a  sauce  of  presen'ed  green  peas. 
Roast  or  fried  potatoes  and  salad  of  salted  cucumbers.    Com- 
pote of  apples,  figs,  French  plums  and  raisins.     Of  course 
vegetable  oil  is  used  instead  of  butter ;  there  are  four  sorts : 
oil  of  hemp-seed-which,  though  of  a  darkish,  greenish,  disa- 
greeable colour,  is  the  sweetest  of  all,  because  the  freshest- 
of  poppy-seeds,  sunflower-seeds  and  Florence  oil,  which,  in 
the  interior,  is  almost  always  horrid.     The  cooking  is  by  no 
means  greasy;  the  Russians  do  not  drink  oil,  and  train-oil  is 
utterly  unknown,  except  perhaps  in  the  Government  of  Arch- 
angel, but  I  am  ready  to  affirm  the  next  to  impossibility  of  a 
Russian  using  it  for  food,  when  I  take  into  consideration  his 
extreme  observance  of  the  "  clean"  and  unclean. 

Second  <//««./-.-Pea-soup  with  fried  crusts;  little  patties  of 
minced  carrots.  Cutlets  of  mashed  potatoes,  with  a  sauce  of 
mushrooms.  Roast  or  fried  pumpkin,  with  a  salad  of  cranberries 
or  bogberries.  Kissel,  made  of  potato-flour  boiled  in  kvass 
and  honey,  with  raisins,  or  in  cranberry  or  raspberry  juice,  and 
turned  out  of  a  shape  like  a  jelly  when  cold.  Those  who  eat 
fish  can,  of  course,  vary  their  fare  much  more,  but  every  one 
says  that  nothing  sickens  one  so  much  as  fish  every  day. 

The  morning  service  (not  matins)  made  use  of  during  the 
forty-nine  days  of  Lent,  is  widely  diff-erent  from  that  of  the  rest 
of  the  year,  when  the  Masses  of  St.  Basil  the  Great  or  of  St. 
John  Chrysostom  are  used;  during  the  Great  Fast  a  service, 
peri-ormed  only  during  that  time,  and  called  the  Liturgy  of 
Pre-consecrated  Elements,  is  substituted  in  their  place.  It 
means,  that  instead  of  Mass  {i.e.  Celebration  of  the  Lord's 
Supper)  being  sung  daily,  a  portion  of  the  Elements  consecrated 
at  a  previous  Mass  is  administered,  instead  of  newly  consecrated 


bread  and  wine.     The  history  of  this  singular  service  is  as 

follows : —  ,        1  r.    4.- 

Mass,  properly  so  called,  is,  as  above  stated,  the  celebration 
of  the  Holy  Communion,  which  is  duly  consecrated  and  partaken 
of  by  the  officiating  Priest  and  Deacon  every  time  that  Mass 
is  performed  (it  would  not  be  Mass  without  Communion),  even 
though  none  of  the  congregation  present  themselves  as  com- 
municants.    In  the  eariier  days  of  the  Christian  Church  the 
Fathers  did  not  consider  it  seeming  to  celebmte  the  comforting 
feast  on  days  of  humiliation  and  mourning  for  sin,  and  per- 
mitted Mass  to  be  sung  on  Saturdays  and  Sundays  only 
during  Lent,  and  on  the  Annunciation  and  Holy  Thursday. 
But  as  many  pious  Christians,  accustomed  to  daily  Communion 
could  not  bring  themselves  to  forego  the  strengthening  and 
refreshing  of  their  souls  by  the  Body  and  Blood  of  Christ,  the 
Holy  Church  granted  them  the  indulgence  of  the  Liturgy 
of    Pre-consecrated    Elements,    when    the    bread  and  wine 
consecrated  on  the  Sunday  preceding   is   administered   on 
Wednesdays  and  Fridays  to  those  who  desire  it  ;2  but  at  the 
present  time  lay-people  endeavour  to  arrange  their  devotions 
in  such  a  manner  that  they  may  communicate  on  the  Saturday, 
i  e  at  the  celebration  of  full  Mass. 

On  Mondays,  Tuesdays,  and  Thursdays  throughout  Lent 
a  service  called  Hours  is  substituted  for  the  usual  Liturgy, 
though  many  of  the  prayers  and  litanies  used  at  Mass  are 
sung  in  it     But  to  return  to  the  Liturgy  of  Pre-consecrated 

Elements. 

When  the  bread  and  wine  are  brought  forth  from  the  altar 
during  ordinary  Mass,  the  Priest  and  Deacon  issue  from  the 

1  In  remembrance  of  the  institution  of  the  Lord's  Supper. 

*  Michailoffsky. 


124 


Confession  and  Communion 


\ 


left-hand  Deacon's  door,  and  while  they  intone  the  prayer  for 
the  Imperial  Family  and  the  Archbishop  of  the  diocese,  they 
stand  on  the  Amvon  with  their  faces  to  the  congregation,  who 
welcome  the  as  yet  not  completely  consecrated  Elements  with 
prostrations,  but  afterwards  rise  from  their  knees.  The 
peculiar  solemnity  of  the  bringing  forth  of  the  Pre-consecrated 
Elements  is,  that  they  are  carried  in  perfect  silence  from  the 
table  of  sacrifice  through  the  left  Deacon's  door,  past  the 
screen,  and  into  the  altar  again  by  the  royal  gates,  to  be  placed 
on  the  throne,  while  all  the  people  remain  prostrated  on  the 
floor,  unworthy,  as  it  were,  to  gaze  on  the  vessels  that  contain 
the  Holy  Eucharist. 

This  is  the  principal  feature  that  strikes  the  beholder  during 
the  days  of  devotional  preparation.  The  prayer  of  St.  Ephraim 
of  Syria  (who  lived  in  the  fifth  century),  pronounced  by  the 
Priest  soon  after  the  commencement  of  service,  serves  to  bring 
the  minds  of  the  congregation  to  a  state  of  humility  and 
penitence.     It  reads  as  follows : — 

"  O  Lord  and  Sovereign  of  my  life,  take  from  me  the  spirit 
of  idleness,  despair,  love  of  power,  and  unprofitable  speaking." 

Here  he  and  all   the  people  prostrate   themselves   three 

times. 

"  But  grant  to  Thy  servant  the  spirit  of  purity,  meekness, 

patience,  and  charity." 

Three  prostrations  as  before. 

"  Yea,  O  Lord !  grant  that  I  may  see  my  own  sins,  and  not 
judge  my  brother !     For  Thou  art  blessed,  for  ever  and  ever  1" 

Again  three  prostrations. 

Another  exception  to  the  usual  course  of  the  service  is  the 
singing  an  anthem  before  the  Amvon,  which  is  generally 
performed  by  the  Readers  and  Choristers,  but  any  of  the 


'  Confession  and  Communion  125 

congregation  who  wish  to  sing  it  may  do  so,  always  supposing 
that  they  are  able  to  do  it  well,  or  at  any  rate  passably.  The 
words  are  taken  from  the  141st  Psalm,  in  the  following  order:- 

"  Let  my  prayer  be  set  forth  in  Thy  sight  as  the  mcense, 
and  let  the  lifting  up  of  my  hands  be  an  evening  sacrifice. 

"  Lord,  I  call  upon  Thee :  haste  Thee  unto  me,  and  con- 
sider my  voice  when  I  cry  unto  Thee. 

"  Set  a  watch,  O  Lord,  before  my  mouth,  and  keep  the  door 

of  my  lips. 

"  O  let  not  mine  heart  be  inclined  to  any  evil  thmg :  let  me 

not  be  occupied  in  any  ungodly  works." 

Each  verse  is  repeated  by  the  choir,  who,  with  the  congrega- 
tion,  kneel  during  the  repetition.  The  melody  of  this  anthem 
is  very  sweet,  and  the  effect  of  the  whole  very  striking. 

Our  communicants  intend  to  prepare  themselves  in  the 
fourth  week,  and  on  the  Wednesday  they  begin  their  devo- 
tions.i    Wednesday  in  the  fourth  week  is  called  Middle-Cross 
Day,  because  it  is  the  middle  of  the  Great  Fast,  and  it  is  the 
custom  to  make  little  cakes  or  biscuits  in  the  form  of  a  cross 
on  that  day,  as  the  English  do  Cross-buns  on  Good  Friday. 
There  are  other  customs  during  the  Great  Fast  which  deserve 
notice :  such  as  the  baking  of  little  cakes  in  a  form  which 
somewhat  resembles  a  bird,  with  currants  or  wild  cherries  for 
.  its  eyes ;  this  is  observed  on  the  9th  of  March,  the  Feast  of  the 
Forty  Martyrs,  who  were  fed,  says  tradition,  during  a  cruel 
imprisonment,  by  larks,  which  flew  into  their  dungeon  with 
food  for  them.     On  Lady-day,  too,  it  is  considered  a  Christian 
duty  to  do  some  particularly  benevolent  act,  especially  settmg 
captives  free ;  and  to  enable  the  orthodox  to  indulge  this 

1  The  more  religious  prepare  during  the  whole  week,  but  I  take  a 
general  case  as  an  example. 


I 


126  Confession  and  Communion 

desire,  the  "roughs"  of  large  towns  employ  themselves,  for 
some  time  previous,  in  catching  birds  of  all  and  any  sort,  and 
selling  them,  to  be  set  free,  on  the  Feast  of  the  Annunciation. 

On  the  Thursday  morning  Sdschinka  is  carefully  and  gradu- 
ally wakened  at  half-past  five,  and  goes  to  matins  with  her 
mother.  None  of  the  family  touch  a  morsel  before  leaving 
home.  It  is  not  quite  light,  and  Sdschinka  feels  a  mixture  of 
nervousness  and  satisfaction.  They  come  home  at  about  seven, 
breakfast,  and  are  off  again  to  Mass  at  nine ;  at  four,  vespers 
are  sung.  The  services  are  very  long,  and  it  is  extremely 
fatiguing.  Friday  passes  in  the  same  manner,  except  that 
after  vespers  Confession  takes  place. 

Each  communicant  goes  behind  a  screen,  placed  for  the 
time  in  a  comer  of  the  church,  or  near  the  Deacon's  doors, 
where  the  choristers  stand  during  service ;  there  is  no  screen 
placed  there.  The  "Spiritual  Father"  awaits  them  with  a 
litde  naloy,  on  which  lie  the  Gospels  and  the  Cross,  and 
after  some  preparatory  prayers  the  following  words  are  ad- 
dressed to  the  penitent : — 

"  Behold,  my  child,  Christ  stands  here  invisibly  to  receive 
thy  confession.  Be  not  ashamed  nor  afraid,  and  conceal 
nothing  from  me,— but  without  hesitation  tell  me  what  thou 
hast  done,  and  receive  absolution  from  Jesus  Christ.  Behold 
His  picture  before  us  !  I  am  only  a  witness,  and  certify  before 
Him  all  that  thou  tellest  me  :  if  therefore  thou  concealest 
anything  from  me,  thou  wilt  be  doubly  sinful.  Mark  well, 
therefore,  that  thou  leave  not  this  ghostly  hospital  without 
receiving  the  healing  that  thou  requirest." 

Here  follows  a  number  of  questions,  to  which  the  penitent 
answers,  "  I  have  sinned,"  when  he  feels  they  strike  home,  but 
to  many  it  is  to  be  supposed  and  hoped  that  he  can  answer, 


Confession  and  Communion  127 

«I  have  not    sinned."     Almost  every  Priest  has  his  own 
peculiarity  in  confessing  his  ghostly  children,~one  bemg  ex- 
tremely indulgent,  another  very  much  the  reverse;  one  paying 
greater  attention   to   sins  of  omission,  another  to  those  of 
commission,  and  each  to  some  one  sin  in  particular,  which 
probably  strikes   him    as   being   more   deadly  than  others. 
Besides  answering  the  form  of  questions  put,  the  penitent  is 
bound  to  open  his  heart  to  the  Priest  if  he  has  been  guilty  of 
any  sin  which  does  not  strictly  come  under  the  category,  and, 
if  he  be  already  under  penance,  to  say  so.     Full  confession 
having  been  made,  and  a  desire  to  lead  a  new  life  expressed, 
a  prayer  is  read  on  behalf  of  the  penitent,  and  on  its  conclusion 
he  prostrates  himself  before  the  Priest,  who  lays  his  hand,  with 
the  end  of  his  cope  beneath  it,  on  his  head  (in  token  that  he 
may  consider  himself  under  the  protection  of  the  Church),  and 
pronounces  the  absolution  as  follows  :— 

"  Our  Lord  and  God  Jesus  Christ,  by  the  grace  and  bounty 
of  His  love  to  mankind,  pardon  thee,  child  (Peter  or  Ekatenna, 
for  instance),  all  thy  sins :  and  I,  unworthy  Priest  that  I  am 
by  the  power  given  to  me,  do  forgive  and  absolve  thee  from  all 
thy  sins  in  the  name  of  the  Father,"  &c.  &c. 

Here  he  signs  him  with  the  sign  of  the  Cross,  and  on  his 
rising  from  his  knees  presents  him  the  Cross  to  be  kissed.  A 
fee  and  a  candle  are  left  on  the  naloy. 

Government  proves  its  solicitude  for  its  servants  by  render- 
ing yearly  confession  almost  obligatory,  and  an  officer  who 
neglects  it  for  more  than  one  year  is  fined  by  a  certam 
deduction  from  his  pay.  Soldiers  and  sailors,  government 
workmen,  and  the  pupils  of  public  schools  and  academies  for 
all  ranks  of  society,  are  sent  or  brought  to  Confession  and 
Communion  regularly  every  year.     The  marriage  ceremony 


^^ 


128 


Confession  and  Communion 


Confession  and  Communion 


129 


cannot  be  performed  if  either  of  the  parties  have  not  attended 
the  Sacrament  during  the  past  year,  be  he  an  orthodox  Greco- 
Russian,  Lutheran,  Cathohc,  or  Anglican. 

It  sometimes  happens  that  the  nature  of  a  penitent's  con-  • 
fession  is  such  as  to  debar  him,  by  the  rules  of  the  Church,  of 
the  privilege  of  Communion  for  a  certain  period.  A  list  of 
crimes  and  misdemeanours,  115  in  number,  with  the  penance 
to  be  imposed  on  the  offender,— some  of  them  exceedingly 
singular,— are  to  be  found  in  the  Ritual.  The  following  are 
remarkable  for  their  strangeness  or  severity  :— 

§  10.  Magicians,  that  is  to  say  enchanters,  and  foretellers, 
wax  and  lead  melters  ....  to  be  kept  from  Communion 

twenty  years. 

§  18.  Such  as  tell  fortunes  with  grains  and  beans— six  years. 

§  47.  Such  as  dig  up  coffins,  in  order  to  steal  anything  there- 
from— ten  years. 

§  49.  Such  as  marry  a  second  time  are  not  permitted  to 

communicate  for  one  year,  and — 

§  50.  Such  as  marry  a  third  rime— four  years.  If,  however, 
he  be  more  than  forty  years  of  age,  a  third  marriage  is  un- 
pardonable 1  (according  to  the  "  Divine  Rules "  of  a  certain 

Matthew). 

§  64.  They  whose  child  dies  unbaptized  by  their  own  care- 
lessness are  deprived  of  Communion  three  years ;  must  per- 
form 200  prostrations  every  day  during  that  period,  and  fast  on 
Mondays  as  well  as  Wednesdays  and  Fridays. 

§  65.  A  woman  who  overiays  her  infant— seven  years. 

§  75.  A  Priest  who  repeats  the  Confession  of  sins  made  to 
him  by  a  ghostly  child  has  a  penance  of  deprivation  of  place 

1  Nevertheless  third  marriages  frequently  take  place,  and  I  never  heard 
of  the  parties  being  excommunicated. 


for  three  years,  but  is  allowed  to  communicate  once  a  month : 
he  is  to  perform  100  prostrations  every  day.  The  civil  laws^ 
say  that  the  tongue  of  such  an  one  should  be  rooted  out. 

§  82.  Such  as  bless  one  child  and  curse  another,  love  the 
one  and  hate  the  other,  and  divide  their  property  unequally 
between  them, — be  they  excommunicated  from  the  Church, 
and  cut  off  from  Holy  Communion. 

§  84.  Whosoever  eats  the  flesh  of  an  animal  that  died  a 
natural  death,  or  that  was  killed  by  a  wild  beast  or  bird,  or  a 
"  thing  strangled,  or  blood,"  or  a  thing  caught  in  snares— if  he 
be  a  Priest,  to  be  deprived  of  his  office ;  if  a  secular,  of  Com- 
munion for  two  years. 

§  87.  He  who  dares  to  call  in  a  Jewish  physician,  and  be 
attended  in  sickness  by  him— if  he  be  a  Priest,  to  be  deprived 
of  his  office — a  secular,  to  be  excommunicated. 

§  88.  A  Priest  who  hunts  or  catches  birds — to  be  deprived 
of  office  three  months. 

Wilful  murder  is  punished  by  banishment  from  the  table  of 
the  Lord  for  twenty  years;  manslaughter  for  ten  years;  for 
killing  in  battie,  or  on  meeting  robbers  (if  they  fall  on  one  with 
the  sword),  three  years.  If,  however,  robbers  come  to  steal 
property,  and  the  owner,  instead  of  running  away,  kills  one  or 
all  of  them — twenty  years. 

On  Tuesdays  and  Fridays,  after  vespers,  a  Deacon  or  Priest 
reads  aloud  on  the  Amvon,  for  those  who  intend  to  communi- 
cate the  following  day,  an  address  or  exhortation,  interspersed 
with  Psalms,  ejaculations,  and  reflections;  it  is  called  "the 
Rules,"  and  it  is  immensely  long.  After  the  hearing  of  these 
rules,  no  food  whatever  ought  to  be  taken  until  after  the 
receiving  of  the  Holy  Eucharist.    Confession  generally  takes 

^  Very  ancient  laws,  of  course. 


I30 


Confession  and  Communion 


\ 


Confession  and  Communion 


131 


place  after  vespers  on  the  eve  of  Communion,  but  occasionally 
on  the  same  day,  after  matins. 

On  the  Friday  evening  our  absolved  penitents  go  to  the 
bath,  curl  their  hair,  if  they  be  little  girls,  and  prepare  their 
costume  for  the  morrow;  go  to  bed  early,  and  on  returning 
from  matins  the  next  morning  they  dress  in  their  best — though 
not  in  ball  costume.  Officers,  government  employes,  soldiers, 
in  fact  all  who  wear  uniform,  appear  in  full  dress,  but  without 
swords  or  sabres.  Ladies^by  this  I  mean  married  women — 
wear  their  handsomest  silk  dress,  a  lace  shawl  or  pretty  mantle, 
and  a  cap  with  ribbons,  not  flowers.  Young  girls  and  newly- 
married  ladies  put  on  white  muslin  dresses,  and  adorn  them- 
selves as  for  a  little  party;  they  like,  as  a  rule,  to  have  a  new 
dress  for  the  occasion.  Most  old  ladies  array  themselves  in 
the  clothes  they  intend  to  be  buried  in,  with  the  addition  of  a 
shawl  or  mantle,  and  a  cap  made  for  a  living  creature  and  not 
for  a  corpse.  I  shall  never  forget  the  appearance  of  some  ten 
'  or  a  dozen  very  aged  women  of  the  workman-class,  who  ap- 
proached the  altar-steps  in  a  body,  in  a  retired  manufacturing 
town  in  the  Government  of  Perm.  They  had  on  long  white 
homespun  linen  shirts  and  sarafans,^  their  legs  wrapped  round 
with  very  narrow  towelling,  and  plaited  bark  shoes  on  their 
feet  Their  heads  were  enveloped  in  immensely  long  towels, 
arranged  on  the  forehead  so  as  to  nearly  hide  the  eyebrows, 
folded  square-wise  down  the  cheeks,  crossed  under  the  chin, 
and  the  ends  flowing  down  the  back.  The  effect  of  this 
ghostly  array,  with  the  yellow,  wrinkled  faces  of  the  wearers, 
is  literally  more  "  easily  to  be  imagined  than  described." 

Before  they  leave  home  they  kiss  everybody,  servants  and 

^  A  petticoat,  gored,  and  worn  with  the  waist  thereof  immediately  mider 
the  arm-pits. 


all,  in  token  of  charity  and  good  will.  On  arriving  at  church 
they  take  off"  their  hoods .  or  warm  handkerchiefs,  their  fur 
cloaks  or  paletots,  and  put  them  on  a  window-seat  or  some 
convenient  place ;  after  which  they  approach  the  altar-screen, 
prostrate  themselves  before  the  pictures  in  it,  and  kiss  them, 
and  then  they  go  to  their  usual  place.  The  Liturgy  proceeds, 
as  I  before  said,  in  the  usual  manner.  When  the  royal  gates 
are  slowly  opened,  and  the  Deacon  appears  with  the  Cup  in 
his  two  hands,  held  on  a  level  with  his  face,  and  covered  with 
an  embroidered  velvet  napkin,  and  when  he  pronounces  the 
words,  "In  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  in  peace,  come  ye!' 
all  present  who  are  communicants  approach  the  steps  of  the 
Amvon,  from  which  it  is  administered.  The  Priest,  taking  the 
Cup  from  him,  pronounces  very  slowly  and  distinctly  the 
Articles  of  Belief  on  the  subject,  which  the  communicants 
ought  to  repeat  after  him. 

"  I  believe.  Lord,  and  confess,  that  Thou  indeed  art  Christ 
the  Son  of  the  living  God,  who  camest  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  of  whom  I  am  chief.  I  also  believe  that  this  is  indeed 
Thy  most  pure  Body,  and  this  Thy  Holy  Blood.  I  therefore 
pray  Thee  to  have  mercy  on  me  and  to  forgive  me  all  my  sins, 
voluntary  and  involuntary,  by  word,  by  deed,  by  knowledge 
or  ignorance,  and  grant  me  worthily  and  blamelessly  to  par- 
take of  Thy  most  pure  Sacrament,  for  the  remission  of  sins  and 
for  life  everlasting.  Receive  me  this  day,  O  Son  of  God,  as  a 
partaker  of  Thy  Last  Supper.  For  not  as  a  secret  enemy 
I  approach,  not  with  the  kiss  of  Judas,  but  like  the  thief 
I  confess  Thee,  *  Lord,  remember  me  in  Thy  kingdom.'  And 
may  the  Communion  of  Thy  Holy  Sacrament  be  not  to  my 
judgment  and  condemnation,  but  to  the  healing  of  my  soul  and 
body.    Amen." 


132 


Confession  and  Communion 


The  napkin  is  now  removed :  the  Priest,  taking  one  morsel 
of  the  Bread  (which  is  cut  into  tiny  morsels  and  mixed  with 
the  Wine)  in  the  Spoon  with  a  little  Wine,  puts  it  in  the  mouth 
of  the  communicant  (who  receives  it  with  hands  crossed  on  his 
breast,  after  a  devout  prostration)  with  the  words  "  The  servant 
of  God  (so  and  so)  communicates  in  the  name  of  the  Father," 
&c.^  The  Deacon  holds  a  silk  handkerchief  under  the  chin  of 
the  communicant  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  a  drop  falling  to 
the  ground,  and  wipes  his  lips  with  it  afterwards;  the  com- 
municant then  kisses  the  edge  of  the  Cup,  a  type  of  the 
wounded  side  of  Christ,  ^  crossing  himself,  but  without  prostra- 
tion, in  honour  of  the  presence  of  the  Sacraments.  He  then 
goes  up  to  a  little  table,  where  a  Reader  stands  with  a  tiny 
ladle  always  replenished  with  warm  wine  and  water,  intended 
as  a  sort  of  rinsing  after  the  Eucharist,  and  tiny  loaves  of 
bread,  from  the  sides  of  which  the  morsels  of  bread  used  in  the 
celebration  were  cut  out  with  the  Spear.  He  lays  on  the 
salver  an  offering  according  to  his  ability,  and  employs  him- 
self in  private  devotions  until  the  rest  of  the  people  have 
received  the  Sacrament,  and  the  Priest,  having  concluded  the 
Liturgy,  is  at  liberty  to  perform  a  short  special  service  of 
thanksgiving  for  the  spiritual  comfort,  and  to  present  the 
Cross  to  be  kissed. 

On  their  return  home,  the  rest  of  the  family  meet  our  com- 
municants in  the  lobby  with  congratulations ;  they  have  hardly 
time  to  reach  the  tea-room,  when  the  maid  appears  with  a  tray 

^  The  choir  sings,  "  Receive  ye  the  Body  of  Christ ;  taste  ye  the  fount  of 
everlasting  life,"  an  indefinite  number  of  times  during  the  Communion  of 
the  orthodox. 

'  A  small  quantity  of  warm  water  is  mixed  with  the  wine  in  remem- 
brance of  that  which  poured  from  the  wound  of  our  Lord. 


I 


Confession  and  Communion  133 

full  of  cups  of  hot  coffee,  thick  almond  milk,  and  krindles,  or 
little  sweet  buns.  They  dine  early,  and  generally  lie  down  on 
the  sofa,  or  outside  the  bed,  to  rest  for  an  hour  or  two  before 
vespers,  for  the  services  are  really  very  fatiguing,  and  they 
have  been  obliged  to  rise  so  early  for  the  few  previous  days. 
They  go,  however,  to  vespers,  and  the  next  day  to  Mass. 
The  evening  is  passed  in  privacy,  but  not  in  a  strictly  devo- 
tional manner. 

The  generality  of  the  Russians  receive  the  Sacrament  and 
confess  once  a  year  during  the  Great  Fast,  as  related,  but  some 
go  twice,— that  is  to  say,  in  Lent  and  in  the  Gospojinsky,  or 
Assumption  Fast,  which  lasts  from  the  ist  of  August  to  the 
15th.  Besides  these  there  are  two  others,  the  Petroffsky, 
which  extends  from  Trinity  Monday  to  St.  Peter's  Day  (29th 
June),  and  consequently  differs  in  length  according  to  the  time 
when  Easter  falls;  and  the  Christmas  or  Philip  Fast,  which 
lasts  from  15th  November  (St.  PhUip's  Day)  to  Christmas  Day. 
Besides,  there  are  the  Wednesdays  and  Fridays  throughout 
the  year  (except  during  the  few  Sploshnaia  weeks  before 
mentioned).  None  of  these  are  so  strictly  observed  as  Lent, 
from  which  it  is  called  emphatically  the  Great  Fast 


ORDINATION. 


<( . 


■  Q.  In  what  does  Ordination  consist  ? 
''j4.  The  Archbishop,  by  the  laying  on  of  hands,  imparts  to  the  person 
called  to  be  a  Priest  the  power  of  celebrating  the  Sacraments."— 6"^^/ 
Ca^ecAism. 


THE  Government  of  Perm  is  peculiarly  rich  in  metals, 
which  accounts  for  the  vast  number  of  foundries,  iron 
and  brass  works,  gold  washings,  &c.,  both  private  and  belong- 
ing to  the  Crown,  that  are  scattered  over  that  vast  province, 
which,  however,  forms  but  a  part  of  the  district  known  to  the 
Russians  as  "the  Oural,"  and  which  signifies,  not  only  the 
mountains  themselves  (which  exist  only  in  the  imaginations 
of  geographers  and  on  the  map,  and  are  scarcely  perceptible 
to  the  traveller),  but  the  surrounding  country. 

In  one  of  these  zavods,  as  the  little  factory  towns  are  called 
in  Russ,  I  passed  three  years.  It  was  a  very  small  zavod, 
peopled  principally  by  the  workmen  and  the  clerks  of  the 
counting-house,  and  besides  our  own  house  there  were  but  two 
which  belonged  to  "nobles:"  in  one  lived  the  Intendant 
of  the  Works,  a  captain  in  the  Engineers ;  in  the  other,  an 


Ordination 


135 


artillery  officer,  whose  duty  it  was  to  prove  and  pack  off  iron 
for  the  arsenals.  There  was  also  a  doctor,  a  very  kind  person 
and  a  most  excellent  medical  man,  but  so  extremely  eccentric 
a  character  that  I  can  hardly  call  him  a  member  of  our  society. 
There  were  one  or  two  young  engineer  officers,  one  or  two 
employes,  and  two  priests  and  their  wives.  On  grand  occasions, 
such  as  christenings  and  name's  days,  we  mustered  no  less  than 

sixteen  souls ! 

It  was  very  dull  at  this  little  zavod,  wnich  I  will  call 
Vedenioffka.  The  post  came  in  only  once  a  week,  and 
nearly  always  came  in  late.  The  nearest  district  town,  which 
was  smaller  than  Vedenioffka  itself,  was  fifty  versts  distant ; 
and  we  might  have  been  fifty  thousand  versts  off  "  from  any- 
where else,"  as  the  Irishman  said,  as  far  as  seeing  a  chance 
visitor  went,  for  Vedenioffka  was  170  versts  from  the  great 

high  road. 

There  are  no  rural  delights  in  our  out-of-the-way  places  in 
Russia,  as  there  are  in  the  nooks  and  corners  of  Old  England  : 
no  infant-schools,  nor  ruins,  nor  farms;  no  old  churches, 
agricultural  meetings,  flower-shows,  and  archery  and  croquet 
parties.  Reading-libraries  are  only  known  in  Government 
towns,  and  periodicals  are  very  dear  in  Russia,  and  so  were 
books  at  the  time  I  speak  of;  but  we  received  altogether 
fourteen  periodicals,  which  we  used  to  exchange  on  the 
mutual  obhgation  system,  and  in  this  manner  had  plenty  to 
read— newspapers,  journals,  magazines,  ladies'  work  ditto,  a 
musical  journal,  &c.  &c.  Our  occupations  and  pleasures 
were  of  course  entirely  domestic.  In  the  winter— and  the 
winters  are  very  long  in  those  parts,  lasting  from  October  to 
April— it  was  next  to  impossible  to  walk  or  drive  out  except 
when  an  extraordinary  ray  of  sunshine  shone  on  a  mild  day ; 


» 


136 


Ordination 


but  this  was  a  very  rare  event,— so  rare  that  the  only  impres- 
sion of  a  winter  at  Vedenioffka  is  intense  frost,  too  intense 
to  drive  out  except  to  get  to  a  friend's  house,  wrapped  up  to 
the  very  eyes, — or  snow  too  thick  and  bhnding  for  one  to  have 
any  pleasure  either  in  driving  or  walking. 

But  the  summer  was  lovely !  the  soil  first-rate,  "  tchema- 
zem,"  black  earth,  as  it  is  called;  and  I  never  saw  such 
vegetation,  so  rapid,  yet  so  healthy.  We  had  a  large  old- 
fashioned  garden,  with  alleys  of  raspberry  and  black  currant 
bushes,  which  yielded  loads  of  fruit.  I  often  used  to  regret 
that  I  could  not  send  my  peas  and  carrots  to  an  English 
show — I  am  sure  they  would  have  gained  a  prize.  The  fields 
and  forests  were  full  of  beautiful  flowers  and  fruits;  mush- 
rooms we  used  to  get  in  basket-cart  loads,  and  salt  them  for 
winter  use.  There  is  a  quaint  Russian  proverb  which  says, 
''Koli  khleha  krdi,  tak  i  pod  yeliu  raV'  ("Where  there  is 
plenty  of  bread,  it  is  Paradise  even  under  the  fir-tree").  If  so, 
then  Vedeniofi'ka  must  be  a  Paradise  indeed,  for  it  abounds  in 
provisions  of  all  sorts,  except  fish. 

The  popes,  as  the  Priests  are  familiarly  called,  are  generally 
considered  below  the  usual  standard  of  education  ;  and  though 
they  mingle  in  society,  they  always  seem  to  belong  to  another 
class.  Their  dress  and  appearance  strike  a  foreigner  by  their 
singularity.  They  wear  long  beards,  and  hair  parted  down 
the  middle  from  the  forehead  to  the  nape  of  the  neck,  the 
two  long  braids  of  hair  streaming  over  their  shoulders  and 
breasts.  This,  at  home,  they  plait  in  two  tails,  so  that  in 
public  it  is  wavy.  They  wear  a  very  long  loose  garment, 
with  large  sleeves,  altogether  not  unlike  a  lady*s  bemous; 
it  difiers  in  material,  according  to  the  purse  of  the  wearer, 
from  cloth,  prunella,  &c.,  to  satin-turc  and  damask.     Beneath 


Ordination 


137 


'I 


\^ 


this  they  wear  a  long  coat  resembling  that  of  Noah  and  his 
family  in  a  toy  ark,  which,  especially  when  they  have  a 
broad-brimmed  hat  on,  and  a  long  walking-stick  in  their 
hands,  they  are  not  at  all  unlike.  Their  wives  in  general 
are  decidedly  uneducated,  but  are  first-rate  housekeepers  and 
nursing  mothers.  The  limited  society  of  Vedenioffka  was  the 
cause  of  our  being  brought  into  contact  with  the  clergy  more 
frequently  than  in  larger  towns,  and  here  I  became  acquainted 
with  good  Anna  Ivanovna,  Father  Spiridon's  wife. 

Many  is  the  kind  turn  I  have  received  from  dear,  kind, 
sharp-witted  Anna  Ivanovna,  at  times  when  a  gentle  womanly 
bosom  is  wanted  to  pour  one's  little  griefs  into,  or  cool,  strong 
sense,  to  guide  one  in  moments  of  indecision  and  trouble.  I 
think  of  her  as  one  of  my  best  and  truest  friends,  and  insist  on 
calling  her  so,  smile  and  shrug  her  shoulders  as  the  elegant 
Petersburg-bred  colonel  or  captain's  wife  may. 

I  took  my  work  one  winter's  afternoon,  and  drove  to  her 
house  to  spend  an  hour  or  two  with  her.  I  had  heard  that 
one  of  her  sons  had  gone  wrong— run  away  from  the  eccle- 
siastical seminary,  and  that  I'ather  Spiridon  had  gone  to  see 
about  it,  so  I  thought  I  would  call  in  to  cheer  her  loneliness  as 

well  as  I  could. 

"Ah!  my  dear,"  she  cried,  darting  out  of  her  kitchen, 
« how  do  you  do  ?  Well,  thank  God  you  have  come !  The 
pope,  you  know,  is  absent,  and  it  is  dull  work  without  him, 
although  he  is  an  old  man.  That  rascal  Philka!  but  you 
probably  have  not  heard  about  his  feats?"  she  continued, 
while  I  was  unwrapping  myself  in  her  best  room,  which 
served  as  parlour  and  state  bed-room,  and  she  was  lighting 
candles  from  a  lath. 

"  Yes,  I  have  heard  something ;  I  am  very  sorry ^" 


// 


I 


138 


Ordination 


"Not  for  the  boy,  I  hope?  it  will  be  the  saving  of  him, 
please  God.     But  the  pope  is  to  be  pitied !    It  is  the  Lord's 
wiU  to  give  us  fools  in  all  our  sons !"    she  added,  slapping 
her  knees  with  emphasis,  and  sighing  deeply. 
I  remarked  that  they  might  improve. 

"  Improve !  catch  them  improving  as  long  as  that  grand- 
mother of  a  pope  is  their  father ;  he  doats  on  them !     He 
melts  like  wax  at  the  sight  of  them ;  he  won't  let  anybody 
abuse  them  but  himself,— not  even  me!    And  I  know  very 
well  now,"  she  went  on,  bursting  into  tears,  and  wiping  her 
eyes  with  the  ends  of  the  cotton   handkerchief  with  which 
her  head  was  bound,  and  which  was  tied  behind  in  a  bunch, 
"  that  he  will  beat  Httle  Philip's  life  half  out  of  him,  and 
then    entirely  spoil   all   impression  that   may  be  made  on 
him  by  treating  him  to  cakes,  and  nuts,  and  pies.     Ah !   if 
/  were  their  father,  my  dear,  what  fine  fellows  they  would 
be !     They  have  the  best  of  capacities,  all  of  them,  and  the 
best  of  hearts,  but  they  are  fools,— Lord  forgive  me  my  sins ! 
—and  will  be,  it  seems.     The  urn !"  she  cried,  suddenly  re- 
membering  the  presence  of  a  guest;— "it's  boiling.     Vera, 
my  friend,  bring  the  urn  in.     I  thank  my  Almighty  Creator 
that   He  has  spared  me  one  girl,"  she  said  in  a  whisper, 
alluding    to    her   little    daughter   Vera,    "that    has   a   head 
instead  of  a  bladder  on  her  shoulders.     But  a  pretty  hostess 
I  am,  treating  my  precious  guest  to  my  own  troubles." 

"My  dear  Anna  Ivanovna,  you  know  I  always  tell  you 
mine,  and  you  comfort  me  so  nicely ;  now  see  if  I  have  at  all 
profited  by  your  example." 

She  shook  her  head  sadly,  and  took  a  pinch  of  snuff  (that 
was  the  only  thing  I  did  not  like  in  her,  and  I  never  could 
eat  her  rusks  with  an  easy  mind). 


Ordination 


139 


"We  all  have  our  own  fashions  of  grumbling,  my  dear; 
but  I  do  think  that  one  of  the  best  ways  to  get  cheerful 
again  is  to  tell  out  all  one's  trouble  to  some  one  who  will 
listen,  and  who  can  understand  one.  Yes  ?  And  see  if  you 
and  I  do  not  have  a  good  laugh  before  we  part  to-night  1 
But  he  is  weak,  is  the  pope." 

She  rose  from  her  seat,  and  began  to  lay  the  cloth  for  tea, 
and   to  bring  out  her  best   tea-things,   bright  with  gilding. 
Vera  brought  in  the  urn  steaming  and  pufhng  as  only  Russian 
Ipsecoquens,  as  the  doctor  translated  the  word  Samovar,  can^; 
and  the  process  of  tea-making  and  drinking  ensued.    "You  see," 
said  she,  while  it  was  going  on,  "  they  all  have  voices ;  and  he 
(the  runaway,  I  mean)  has  such  a  good  one,  that  the  Regent 
wants  to  get  him  into  the  Bishop's  choir,  which  would  be  the 
making  of  him,  my  dear.     The  choristers  in  the  Bishop's 
choir  are  always  chosen  from  among  the  seminarists;   and 
there  was  Avenir,  our  second,  who  was  there  some  time. 
You  may  believe  it  or  not,  but  all  Perm  used  to  go  to  the 
Bishop's  Chapel  on  purpose  to  hear  that  fright  sing !     It  used 
to  be  crowded,  the  boys  said,  and  the  Governor's  lady  used  to 
send  him  a  pound  of  bon-bons  every  time  after  she  heard  him. 
And  yet  that  fright  (though  fright  he  is  not,  God  bless  him ; 
but  if  he  were  but  a  little  wiser  !),  just  when  they  were  on  the 
point  of  giving  him  a  permanent  situation  as  chorister  (with 
wages  /),  he  must  needs  follow  our  eldest's  example.     '  I  don't 
want  to  be  an  ecclesiastic,  I  want  to  be  a  layman.'     Tphoo ! 
'  Well,  be  a  layman ;  cut  your  hair ;  shave  (when  your  beard 
grows);   battle  with  want;   make  your   mother   cry  herself 
blind;   there's  my  blessing  for  you!'"  said  Anna  Ivanovna, 
apostrophizing  the  absent  Avenir  with  great  energy,  and  ges- 
ticulating with  an  empty  tea-cup  in  her  hand.     "  Well,  Peter, 


r 


I40 


Ordination 


he  is  a  quiet  little  fellow,  and  he  goes  on  singing  steadily, 
though  he  is  not  in  the  Bishop's  choir.  But  when  Philip  heard 
that  he  was  to  be  taken  there,  he  runs  away  (in  the  frost,  mind ! 

mind  that !)  and  got  as  far  as  Q ,  where  our  eldest  serves 

as  writer,  and  he  let  us  know  by  the  postman  that  Philip  had 
arrived  on  foot,  half  dead  with  cold,  hunger,  and  fatigue,"  con- 
cluded the  mother,  bursting  into  tears  afresh. 

"He  had  sold  his  boots,"  remarked  Vera,  a  quiet,  dark- 
haired  girl  of  twelve  or  thirteen,  "  for  food  on  the  road,  and 
his  print  shirt  also.  He  arrived  at  my  brother  Nicholas's  in 
bark  shoes,  and  without  any  shirt,  and  was  so  tired  that 
when  he  came  into  the  house  he  went  straight  into  the 
kitchen,  climbed  up  on  the  stove  without  speaking  a  single 
word,  and  lay  down  to  sleep  there  in  his  fur  pelisse,  just  as  he 


was. 


>» 


"  He  slept  nearly  twenty-four  hours  without  waking,  and  was 
so  weak  with  hunger  that  they  could  not  get  a  word  out  of 
him  when  he  woke,  except  *  Bishop's  choir,'  until  he  had  some 
tea ;  then  they  gave  him  some  dinner,  and  he  told  them  all 
about  it,"  said  Anna  Ivanovna. 

"But  why  do  not  they  like  to  be  in  the  Bishop's  choir?"  I 
asked,  very  naturally. 

"  God  knows.  Of  course  they  are  obliged  to  behave  extra- 
properly,  that's  all.  The  seminarists  have  lately  got  some 
absurd  notions  into  their  heads,  and  must  needs  stuff  Philip's 
with  them." 

"  But  if  they  really  do  not  wish  to  be  Priests  or  choristers, 
why  do  you  force  them  ?  " 

"  What  can  I  do  with  them  ?  Tell  me,  now ;  tell  me  !  do 
me  the  favour!  They  are  educated  gratis  at  the  seminary; 
a  Priest's  son  is  seldom  admitted  into  military  or  special 


t 


1* 


«••• 


Ordination 


141 


academies  and  colleges,  unless  indeed  he  pays  for  them  himself; 
and  where  are  we  to  get  the  money  to  educate  six  boys  to  be 
officers  ?  And  if  he  chooses  to  finish  the  course  at  the  ecclesi- 
astical seminary,  and  not  enter  the  Church,  but  become  a  lay- 
man, still  he  must  serve  three  or  four  years,  according  to  the 
degree  he  has  taken,  before  he  gets  civil  or  military  rank.  No : 
it  is  far  better  for  a  Priest's  son  to  tread  in  his  father's  steps.'* 

"  Two  hundred  versts  on  foot !  in  such  frosts  as  we  have 
had  lately,  too,  and  such  a  little  fellow  (he  was  not  more  than 
ten  or  eleven) !  I  cannot  help  thinking  that  he  must  have  had 
some  very  strong  reasons  for  it,  Anna  Ivanovna ! " 

"  No,  stuff  and  nonsense !" 

"  Perhaps  he  is  frightened  of  his  teachers ^" 

"  And  why  should  he  be  afraid  of  his  teachers  ?  only  in  such 
case  if  he  learns  badly,  and  is  impudent  or  idle  !  And  in  such 
case,  my  most  excellent  lady,  I  am  delighted  that  he  should  be 
afraid  of  his  teachers ;  serve  him  right  ]" 

"Perhaps  he  is  persecuted  by  his  school-fellows,  or  some- 
thing." 

"  Nonsense,  I  tell  you ;  and  if  it  were  so,  do  you  think  we 
should  remove  him  from  the  seminary,  eh? — ^Well,  when  the 
pope  heard  of  it  he  burst  out  crying,  and  said  he  would  take 
them  all  home,  and  send  them  to  the  villages  as  labourers 
until  they  were  eighteen,  and  then  make  soldiers  of  them  all. 
Of  Avenir,  too ;  yet  he,  thank  God,  is  getting  on  pretty  well, 

Nicholas  says,  as  clerk  at  Q ,  though  it  will  be  a  long  time 

before  he  gets  quite  on  his  legs,  because  he  was  fool  enough  to 
give  up  before  he  had  quite  completed  the  course.  Though, 
to  be  sure,  it  is  no  little  trouble  to  get  a  son  into  a  Church- 
place  comfortably;  there  are  dozens  of  candidates  for  one 
vacancy,  and  the  Government  towns  swarm  with  seminarists 


142 


Ordination 


who  have  gone   through  their  examination  splendidly,  but 
cannot  find  places ;  Lord  help  them  ! " 

"  Then  what  do  they  do  for  their  living  ?" 

"Some  are  mean  enough  to  live  at  the  expense  of  their 
parents  or  friends ;  others  go  out  as  private  tutors,  or  get  places 
in  schools  or  colleges,  others  are  glad  to  transcribe  papers,  or 
keep  accounts  for  employes  or  merchants,  some  quite  fall,  from 
idleness,  hopelessness,  and  bad  company.  But  though  in  some 
respects  our  class  is  an  ill-used  one.  Priests  have  one  privilege 
that  even  the  grandest  general  in  the  empire  does  not  enjoy !" 

"AVhat  can  that  be?"  I  asked. 

"  His  word  is  an  oath  of  itself !  If  he  be  brought  forward 
as  witness,  or  on  any  other  occasion  his  testimony  is  required, 
he  is  not  obliged  to  take  the  usual  oath,  his  calling  being  con- 
sidered a  sufficient  guarantee  for  his  veracity.^  And  his  chil- 
dren, as  well  as  himself,  are  exempted  from  corporal  punish- 
ment,2  not  that  it  is  likely  though,  that  they  would  do  anything 
to  deserve  it." 

"  And  when  they  do  find  a  place,  Anna  Ivanovna,  they  get 
ordained,  I  suppose  ]" 

"  The  first  thing  to  be  done,  my  dear,"  said  Anna  Ivanovna, 
laughing  and  tapping  my  arm,  "  when  the  place  is  found,  is  to 
marry !  to  find  a  bride !  She  must  be  young,  and  a  maiden 
(ecclesiastics  cannot  marry  widows),  handsome  if  possible,  and 
have  a  good  dowry.  They  nearly  always  take  their  wives 
from  clerical  famiUes,  for  the  laity,  you  see,  do  not  understand 
our  ways ;  a  rich  young  lady  would  not  marry  a  poor  Priest, 

^  Monks  and  nuns  are  exempted  also,  on  the  same  grounds. — Michail- 
ofifsky. 

2  By  the  recently-made  laws  nearly  everybody  is  exempted  from  the  old 
punishment  of  rods. 


J 


W 


Ordination 


143 


and  would  not  be  a  good  and  useful  wife  to  him,  because  she 
is  not  accustomed  to  house-work,  cooking,  spinning,  and  what 
we  call  *  village  economy.'  And  a  poor  one  he  will  not  take  ; 
but  of  course  there  are  exceptions.  Then  when  he  is  married 
all  right  (of  course  with  the  blessing  of  the  Vladika)  he  must 
go  to  the  Government  town  to  be  ordained,  unless  by  some 
extraordinary  piece  of  good  fortune  the  Bishop  should  happen 
to  be  on  his  round  of  visitation,  when  he  might  be  ordained  in 
his  native  town,  or  wherever  he  may  happen  to  be.  Oh,  it 
costs  a  terrible  deal  of  money ;  but  then,  when  once  he  is  in 
his  place,  nothing  can  get  him  out,  if  he  does  his  duties  well, 
and  is  not  a  drunkard." 

"  I  wonder  why  a  person  must  be  married  before  he  become 
a  Priest?"  I  said,  not  quite  expecting  that  Anna  Ivanovna 
could  inform  me  satisfactorily. 

"Because  the  Holy  Scripture  says  that  he  must  be  'the 
husband  of  one  wife.'  Of  all  the  clergy.  Readers  only  can 
marry  a  second  time,  and  if  they  do,  their  alb  is  taken  from 
them.  The  candidate  must  marry  before  taking  Deacon's 
orders.  One  wife,  mind !  my  pope  cannot  marry  again  if  I 
die,  which  is  a  comfort ;  for  he  takes  good  care  of  me,  old 
woman  as  I  am.  But  I  was  a  real  beauty  in  my  youth ;  not 
one  of  my  children  is  like  me ;  popes,  every  one  of  them." 

I  can  quite  believe  that  Anna  Ivanovna  was  a  beautiful  girl, 
although  she  has  now  no  teeth  visible  except  two  in  the  lower 
jaw,  and  looks  very  thin  and  worn.  Her  blue  eyes  are  still 
fine;  her  nose  aquiline  (a  rarity  in  Russia),  but  small;  her 
complexion,  too,  is  fair  and  fine,  with  the  remains  of  bloom  on 
her  now  hollow  cheeks. 

"Tell  me,  Anna  Ivanovna,  how  you  got  married,  and  all 
about  it,"  I  said,  seeing  that  she  was  in  a  communicative 


144 


Ordination 


humour.     "  But  first  tell  me  one  thing— you  were  taken  from 
a  lay  family,  were  you  not?" 

"No,  my  dear;  I  am  the  daughter  of  a  protopope,  and  all 
my  kith  and  kin  belonged  to  the  Church,  except  my  noble 
sons,  who,  of  course,  expect  to  be  generals  or  actual  council- 
lors of  State  one  of  these  days.  But  why  do  you  think  I  am  of 
a  lay  family?"  she  asked,  smiling. 

I  felt  rather  confused,  but  I  smiled  also,  and  answered 
openly,  which  was  my  only  way  of  escape.  "Because  you 
are  not  Hke  any  oikv&c  popodia}  that  I  know,  Anna  Ivanovna." 

"  No !  I  admit  that  our  sisterhood  is  neither  learned  nor 
refined,  but  we  suit  for  Priests*  wives, — they  require  working 
women.  And  you  know,  my  dear,  the  weakness  of  our 
Russian  girls ;  if  they  can  say  a  phrase  or  two  in  French,  and 
jingle  a  little  on  the  piano,  they  set  up  for  grand  ladies ;  and 
as  for  making  rye  bread,  or  mangling  the  linen  on  the  katok- 
valyok,  ^  or  setting  up  a  length  of  linen  to  weave — Lord  bless 
you!"  and  she  waved  her  hand. — "How  I  got  married,  eh? 
Well,  much  about  the  same  way  as  other  folks,  I  suppose." 

"You  have  begun  your  story,  Anna  Ivanovna,  and  you 
must  finish  it,"  I  said,  laughing.  "  You  said  *  My  father  was 
a  protopope.'     Now  pray  go  on." 

"  Very  well !  My  pope's  father  was  very  poor,  and  had  a 
large  family.  He  lived  in  our  district,  and  he  and  my  father 
were  on  very  friendly  terms.  Spiridon  Andreevitch  used  to 
come  home  for  the  vacations  on  foot  from  the  Government 
town,  and  help  his  father  in  the  field  work.  If  ever  I  did 
happen  to  notice  him  at  all,  I  only  remember  thinking  him  a 
very  lanky,  silent  lad  \  just  such  another  as  our  Avenir,  only 
with  black  hair.     The  two  fathers  often  used  to  joke  and  plan 

^  Pope's  wi£e»  *  A  little  hand-mangle. 


i 


K\ 


Kt* 


Ordination 


145 


a  wedding,  but  it  only  made  me  mad  at  the  moment,  and  I 
never  supposed  it  really  would  be.  My  father  had  a  very 
good  place  in  a  large  village,  part  of  which  belonged  to  a 
rich  proprietor,  a  simple,  hospitable  old  man;  self-willed, 
tyrannical,  and  kind  at  the  same  time, — the  very  type  of  an 
old-fashioned  land-owner.  His  second  son  died,  leaving  two 
daughters  about  my  age;  they  lived  with  their  grandfather, 
and  I  was  their  bosom  friend  and  only  companion,  for  the 
surrounding  land-owners  had  no  daughters  of  our  age.  I  was 
my  parents'  only  girl,  and  a  great  pet ;  my  father  took  unusual 
pains  with  my  education,  and  taught  me  geography  and 
history  as  well  as  reading  and  writing ;  I  was  always  fond  of 
reading,  and  the  young  ladies  lent  me  plenty  of  books.  My 
mother  accustomed  me  to  household  work  from  my  child- 
hood ;  the  management  of  the  cows,  sheep,  pigs,  and  poultry ; 
gardening,  spinning,  and  all  the  processes  to  be  gone  through 
from  the  time  the  flax  is  sown  to  the  last  time  of  rinsing  a 
piece  of  linen  at  the  river,  and  laying  it  on  the  grass  to  dry, 
before  rolling  it  up  to  be  put  away.  I  learned  bead-work  and 
lace-making  at  the  proprietor's  house.  Being  the  only  daughter, 
I  had  a  handsome  dowry  in  linen  and  wool ;  a  beautiful  down 
bed  and  six  large  pillows  from  our  own  geese ;  laced  towels, 
and  body,  table,  bed  and  household  linen  in  abundance,  all  of 
my  mother's  and  my  own  spinning,  weaving,  bleaching,  and 
sewing,  besides  twenty  pieces  of  linen  unmade,  for  future  use. 
And,  as  I  said  before,  I  was  a  pretty  girl,  and  a  singer,  (the 
boys  got  their  voices  from  me,  my  dear,  allow  me  to  tell  you, 
for  the  pope's  singing,  as  you  know,  is  a  mere  growling),  and  I 
could  make  a  gown  smartly,  so  that  I  had  plenty  of  suitors ; 
but  I  did  not  care  for  one  of  them,  and  was  so  happy  at  home, 
that  when  my  father  came  home  one  night  from  a  neighbour's 


146 


Ordination 


name-day  party,  and  said  that,  thank  God,  Father  Andre's 
Spiridon  had  found  a  place,  and  that  it  was  time  to  think  of 
the  wedding,  I  cried  three  nights  and  days  incessandy,  and 
nothing  but  my  father's  absolute  command  could  have  made 
me  consent  to  marry  Spiridon.  But  he  insisted  on  it,  and 
when  my  bridegroom  came  to  be  formally  betrothed  to  me 
I  was  agreeably  surprised.  He  was  grown  stouter,  and  quite 
chatty,  and  was  so  kind  to  me,  and  so  amusing  and  lively,  that 
by  the  time  the  wedding-day  came  I  was  almost  reconciled 
to  being  his  wife.  In  three  weeks  or  a  month  all  the  business 
of  courting  and  marrying  was  done.  I  was  sixteen,  and  he 
twenty-two.  My  father  gave  us  a  cow  and  a  horse,  six  sheep, 
and  pigs  and  poultry,  besides  household  utensils,  an  urn  and 
a  set  of  tea-things,  and  all  that  sort  of  thing.  Our  village  was 
about  a  hundred  versts  from  my  father's,  so  that  we  often  saw 
each  other.  It  was  not  a  rich  place,  but  we  contrived  to  live 
there  without  want  for  seven  or  eight  years,  when  he  was 
removed  to  a  better  place  in  a  town.  We  have  had  several 
moves— more  than  Priests  generally  have — and  at  last  came 
here;  it  is  not  a  very  good  place,  but  I  have  no  reason  to 
complain  or  to  reproach  my  Creator.  We  are  not  rich,  as  you 
know,  but  we  live  without  getting  into  debt ;  and  if  it  were  not 
for  those  stupid  boys,  and  the  loss  of  my  dear  daughter  (which 
added  ten  years  to  my  age,  my  dear — only  twenty-two  years 
old,  and  the  best  of  girls  !),  I  should  be  perfectly  happy.  Yes, 
perfectly  happy." 

"  And  after  your  wedding  did  you  go  to  town  with  Father 
Spiridon?    Did  you  see  him  ordained?" 

"  Of  course.  I  saw  it  all,  and  it  seemed  to  me  very  grand 
and  imposing,  because  I  had  only  seen  an  Archbishop's  Mass 
once  in  my  life  before.     He  was  a  Reader  when  he  married  3 


Ordination 


H7 


then  he  was  ordained  Sub-Deacon,  then  Deacon,  and  last  of 
all,  Priest.  You  know  a  Reader  is  not  considered  an  ordained 
minister ;  he  is  merely  blessed,  and  his  hair,  like  that  of  an 
infant  at  baptism,  is  cut  in  the  middle  of  the  church,  and  a 
short  garment  put  on  his  shoulders,  called  a  Feno/;  but  it  is 
not  worn  at  Divine  Service,  only  the  alb,  which  an  unconse- 
crated  Ponomar^  has  not  the  right  to  put  on.'* 

"And  all  these  consecrations  took  place  on  one  day,  one 
after  the  other?" 

"  No ;  each  on  different  days,  and  at  different  tim^es  in  the 
Liturgy;  and  only  one  person  can  be  ordained  during  one 
service,  so  that  the  Archbishop  seldom  performs  Mass  without 
an  ordination  or  consecration  of  some  kind.    At  each  ordination 
some  article  of  canonicals  is  added,  and  put  on  in  the  church ; 
for  instance,  the  Sub-Deacon  dons  the  scarf  over  his  Reader's 
alb,  a  full  Deacon  receives  the  cuffs,  and  a  Priest  the  vestment 
and  stole.     When  the  Bishop  gives  him  either  of  these  canon- 
icals, he  says  the  word  *Axios!'  aloud,  which  means  *  he  is 
worthy,'  and  which  is  repeated  by  the  clergy  and  the  choir. 
On  the  day  that  my  husband  was  ordained  Deacon,  of  course 
he  ate  nothing  before  he  went  to  Mass,  and  he  appeared  among 
the  Sub-Deacons  who  helped  in  the  service  of  the  day.    A 
Deacon  is  ordained  after  the  consecration  of  the  Eucharist, 
showing  that  he  is  not  an  indispensable  person  at  the  celebra- 
tion of  the  Holy  Communion,  but  merely  a  servant  or  assistant. 
Do  you  know  that  Deacon  means  servant,  in  Greek?" 

I  was  forced  to  confess  my  utter  ignorance  of  the  dead 
languages,  and  particularly  of  Greek. 

"  Well,  and  I  should  not  know,  but  that  I  am  constantly 
hearing  my  pope  talk  to  the  boys,  or  to  guests  about  ecclesi- 

^  A  lay  Reader. 


148 


Ordination 


Ordination 


149 


astical  concerns.  Just  at  the  end  of  the  service,  then,  the 
candidate  is  led  by  two  Sub-Deacons  into  the  altar,  and  there 
they  deliver  him  over  to  the  Proto-Deacon  or  Deacon,  who 
addresses  the  congregation  with  the  word  Poveli,  which  in  this 
instance  means  *  Permit!'  that  is,  he  asks  the  consent  of  the 
people^  from  among  whom  the  new  Deacon  is  supposed  to  be 
elected,  to  his  ordination ;  then  he  addresses  the  clergy  with 
the  same  word,  by  way  of  asking  their  permission  to  his  enter- 
ing their  holy  profession  and  joining  their  holy  brotherhood  ; 
and  lastly  to  the  Bishop,  thus  begging  his  pastoral  blessing. 
After  which  he  leads  him  up  to  the  Bishop,  and  precedes  him 
round  the  altar  three  times,  the  candidate  kissing  the  corners 
of  the  throne,  each  time  saying,  *  O  God  of  Holiness,  God  of 
Strength,  God  of  Immortality,  have  mercy  on  us !'  And  as 
he  passes  the  Bishop  he  kisses  his  omophorium,  staff  (or 
crozier)  and  hand.  The  choir  sings  Tropars^  all  the  time.  The 
candidate  then  kneels  down,  but  on  o?ie  knee  (the  right  one) 
only,  in  token  that  he  does  not  take  all  the  duties  of  ministry 
on  himself,  and  places  his  hands  crosswise  on  the  throne,  with 
his  forehead  leaning  on  it  between  them,  and  in  this  position 
the  Bishop  lays  his  hand  on  him,  by  putting  the  end  of  his 
omophorium  on  his  head  and  pronouncing  the  blessing;  the 
choir  sang  Kyrie  Eleison  on  the  right  hand  in  Russ,  and  on  the 
left  in  Greek.  On  the  conclusion  of  the  prayer  the  canonicals 
of  a  Deacon  were  delivered  to  my  husband,  who  rose  to  his 
feet,  and  were  placed  in  his  hands  by  the  Bishop  himself,  each 
with  the  word  Axios,  Of  course  he  kissed  the  Bishop's  hand. 
When  his  new  canonicals  are  put  on,  the  new  Deacon  kisses 

^  Compare  "The  Form  and  Manner  of  Ordaining  of  Priests"  in  the 
Prayer  Book,  "  Good  People,"  &c.  &c. 
*  A  Psalm  or  Canticle. 


( 


and  is  kissed  by  all  the  other  Deacons  present,  in  token  of 
brotherhood,  and  he  immediately  enters  on  his  new  duties,  the 
Ripida^  being  placed  in  his  hand,  and  stands  on  the  north  side 
of  the  throne.  At  the  time  of  the  administration  of  the  Sacra- 
ment he  receives  it  as  a  Deacon,  that  is  to  say,  in  the  altar, 
and  at  the  end  of  the  service  says  the  Litany,  that  being  one 
of  his  principal  duties." 

"Well;  and  the  ordination  as  Priest?" 

"  It  is  almost  the  same.  It  takes  place  earlier  in  the  course 
of  the  Liturgy ;  the  candidate  is  led  by  Deacons  to  the  Altar, 
is  received  by  Priests,  and  kneels  at  the  throne  on  both  knees, 
and,  besides  giving  him  his  canonicals,  the  Bishop  places  the 
missal,  or  book  for  the  performance  of  matins.  Mass,  and 
vespers,  in  his  hand.  Axios  is  of  course  pronounced.  After 
consecration  the  new  Priest  kisses  and  is  kissed  by  the  other 
Priests  present,  in  token  of  brotherhood.  Then  they  go  on 
with  the  service,  the  newly-ordained  Priest  taking  his  place 
with  his  fellows,  and  when  the  Holy  Elements  are  consecrated, 
the  Bishop  places  in  his  hand  a  piece  of  the  Bread  which  he 
holds  during  the  time  of  Communion.  This  signifies  that  he 
is  now  not  only  the  Minister  of  the  Sacraments  of  Christ's 
religion,  but  their  keeper,  and  the  distributor  of  them  to  others.^ 
The  prayer  that  is  read  just  at  the  end  of  the  Liturgy,  is  always 
given  to  the  new  Priest  to  read  on  the  day  he  is  ordained,  one 
of  his  principal  offices  being  to  pray  for  the  flock  committed  to 
his  care,  and  to  beg  for  all  blessings  on  them  both  for  this 

*  A  curious  thing  made  of  metal,  resembling  a  coal-hole  grating  in  the 
pavements  of  London  streets — round,  and  about  eight  or  ten  inches  in 
diameter  ;  it  is  gilt,  and  is  a  showy  thing  ;  there  is  a  long  handle  to  it  It 
is  a  symbol  of  angels'  wings. 

2  Michailofifsky. 


ISO 


Ordination 


world  and  the  next,  which  is  the  subject  of  that  particular 
prayer.  You  must  know  that  a  protopope  is  ordained  anew, 
but  it  is  a  mere  form,  and  he  has  nothing  added  to  his  canoni- 
cals. The  consecration  of  a  Bishop  or  Abbot  is  of  course  very- 
grand,  and  all  the  signs  of  their  office  are  put  on  them  in  the 
church,  as  the  Priests'  and  Deacons'  are." 

I  thanked  my  kind  friend  for  her  information,  and,  after  a 
little  more  conversation  on  usual  subjects,  I  was  thinking  of 
rolling  up  my  work  and  taking  my  departure,  when  we  heard 
the  jingling  of  horse-bells,  and  immediately  afterwards  the 
squeaking  of  the  old  yard  gates. 

"It  is  the  pope!"  cried  my  hostess,  running  out  to  meet 
him. 

He  entered  in  a  minute  or  two,  his  long  beard  all  white  with 
frost,  and  his  hair  plaited  in  two  tails.  He  crossed  himself 
devoutly  before  speaking  a  word  to  his  wife  or  daughter, — who 
laughingly  refused  to  be  kissed, — and  gave  me  his  blessing,  on 
my  approaching  him  with  the  back  of  my  right  hand  crossed 
on  the  palm  of  my  left. 

"Well?"  said  Anna  Ivanovna,  anxiously. 

"  Thank  God  !"  was  the  reply. 

"Thank  God  I"  repeated  she,  crossing  herself,  with  a  deep 
sigh  of  intense  relief.  "  Go  on !  Vera !  the  urn,  as  quickly  as 
you  can!" 

The  little  girl  ran  to  heat  it;  Father  Spiridon  wiped  his 
thawing  beard,  divested  himself  of  his  many  wrappers,  and  sat 
down,  relating  something  about  his  driver,  which  even  I  did 
not  attend  to,  and  which  Anna  Ivanovna,  burning  with  impa- 
tience and  motherly  solicitude,  interrupted  without  ceremony. 

"  How  did  it  all  end,  martyrizer?"  she  cried. 

"  I  told  you  it  is  all  right.    Curiosity,  curiosity,  matoushka ! 


Ordination 


151 


Shall  I  never  cure  you  of  that  abominable  habit  ?  Twenty-five 
years  have  I  been  trying  to  eradicate  it,  and  still  it  is  as  strong 
as  ever — so  there's  nothing  to  be  done,"  he  continued,  sud- 
denly changing  his  tone  from  the  sentimental  to  the  natural, 
"  but  to  gratify  it,  eh  ?  When  I  got  to  Q ,  Philip  hid  him- 
self in  the  hay-loft,  and  would  not  come  out;  and,  after 
remaining  there  nearly  an  hour,  still  maintained  silence.  I  was 
so  mad  with  him,  that  I  roared  out  to  him  in  the  yard  that  if 
he  did  not  show  himself,  I  would  set  fire  to  the  hay-loft,  so  out 
he  crept. — (Give  me  a  pinch.) — Out  he  crept,  and  came  into 
the  house  shaking  and  shivering,  and  threw  himself  at  my 
feet.  I  said,  'Don't  come  near  me,  or  I  shall  knock  you 
down;'  and  I  sat  still,  drinking  tea,  without  saying  one  word 
to  him,  for  an  hour  or  so,  which  I  think  frightened  him  more 
than  if  I  had  flogged  him.  Then  I  said,  *  Now,  Philip  Spirid- 
onovitch,  I  am  not  going  to  beat  you ;  but  I  intend  you  to  be 
in  the  Bishop's  choir ;  so  get  your  dinner,  and  we  will  be  off.* 
I  was  sorry  for  the  boy,"  he  continued  (Anna  Ivanovna  was 
crying  and  ejaculating,  *  Thou  darling  of  mine !  thou  beauty  of 
mine!  my  gold!  my  batioushka !'),  "very  sorry:  he  was  so 
scared  and  thin.  He  said  his  companions  had  put  him  up  to 
it,  and  that  little  Shagin,  Father  Hippolyte's  boy,  of  Cortem- 
effka,  ran  away  at  the  same  time.  I  did  not  lay  my  hand  on 
him,  mother ;  but  after  dinner  I  gave  him  some  parental  ad- 
vice, and  some  parental  threats ;  and  I  told  him  flatly  that  he 
is  to  be  a  chorister  or  a  chimney-sweeper."  (Father  Spiridon 
chuckled,  and  his  wife  actually  sobbed.)  "So  he  chose  to 
be  a  chorister.  We  went  merrily  enough  to  Perm,  and  when 
we  got  there  I  went  straight  to  the  inspector,  then  to  the 
regent  (and  paid  my  respects  to  the  Rector,  too;  he  is  an 
Archimandrite,"  he  explained  to  me ;  "  a  very  influential  person 


? 


152 


Ordination, 


with  the  Vladika),  and  got  him  into  the  choir,  written,  signed, 
and  sealed,  as  I  may  say,  without  the  shadow  of  a  difficulty. 
For  the  fact  is,  mother,  that  they  are  only  too  glad  to  be  sure 
of  such  a  voice  as  Philip's." 

"  Of  course.     And  Petinka  ?" 

"  Pdtinka  is  my  own  boy  !  He  is  just  as  gentle  and  quiet  as 
ever,  and  he  nearly  cried  his  eyes  out  for  his  brother ;  yet,  as 
soon  as  they  met,  he  fell  on  him  and  thrashed  him  before  my 
very  eyes.  *  Don't  be  a  runaway,  a  runaway,  a  runaway,'  he 
said  at  each  blow.  As  it  was  in  the  cause  of  virtue,  I  gave 
him  my  fatherly  blessing  to  repeat  it  if  ever  Philka  should  think 
of  doing  so  again.  He  sings  in  the  seminary  choir,  but  his 
voice  is  not  equal  to  his  brother's." 

It  was  high  time  for  me  to  go.  I  congratulated  the  worthy 
couple  on  the  happy  conclusion  of  the  affair,  and  felt  very  glad 
that  poor  little  Philip  had  got  off  so  easily.  He  never  attempted 
running  away  again. 


MARRIAGE. 


PART  I. 


"  ^.  In  what  does  Marriage  consist? 

*M.  The  union  of  the  bridegroom  and  bride  by  their  mutual  consent  is 
blessed  by  the  Church,  it  being  a  type  of  the  union  of  Christ  with  His 
Church." 


AFTER  receiving  an  excellent  education  in  one  of  the 
many  Government  institutions  that  exist  in  Russia  for 
the  poor  or  orphaned  daughters  of  nobles,  Lizavetta  Zorine 
was  taken  home  by  a  cousin  of  her  deceased  mother's,  who 
would  not  consent  to  the  cherished  child  of  her  best  and 
earliest  friend  being  cast  on  the  world  as  a  governess ;  and  the 
young  girl  herself,  who  looked  on  her  relative  as  a  mother, 
hesitated  not  an  instant  when,  by  the  rules  of  the  establishment, 
the  matter  was  left  to  her  decision. 

Liza's  "aunt,"  as  she  called  her,  had  herself  been  an 
orphan,  and  had  resided  from  a  very  early  age  with  a  family 
of  relations — landed  proprietors,  in  which,  as  she  grew  up,  she 
was  far  from  happy ;  she  had  to  endure  her  aunt's  continual 


154 


Marriage 


scoldings,  upbraidings,  and  grudgings,  the  horrors  of  her  uncle's 
drinking-fits,  her  boy-cousin's  persecutions  and  teasings,  and 
the  ridicule  which  her  every  action  and  observation  drew  from 
Zenobia,  the  second  daughter  of  the  house,  who  was  just  her 
age,  and  had  received  a  very  superficial  education  at  2.  pension 
at  Moscow,  which  distinction,  she  considered,  entitled  her  to 
behave  with  insolence  and  contempt  to  every  less  fortunate 
mortal. 

The  elder  daughter,  Nadine,  as  it  was  then  the  fashion  to 
call  the  possessors  of  the  national  name  of  Nadejda,  was 
good,  gay,  and  loving,  a  perfect  contrast  to  her  sister  Zenobia ; 
and  to  her  the  poor  neglected  orphan  clung  with  all  the  frantic 
tenderness  of  a  young  girl  towards  one  a  little  older  than 
herself,  but  who  still  may  be  called  her  bosom  friend. 
Nadine  taught  Polinka^  all  that  she  herself  knew,  and  found 
an  apt  and  eager  pupil  in  her.  Not  only  did  she  master  the 
French  language  sufficiently,  in  the  two  years  which  elapsed 
between  her  teacher's  leaving  school  and  her  marriage,  to 
enable  her  to  converse  fluently,  but  she  could  read  with 
enjoyment  various  journals  of  embroidery,  &c.,  and  light 
novels,  and  even  a  little  of  Chateaubriand,  Victor  Hugo, 
and  other  favourites  of  the  Institutka  of  those  days, — played 
a  little  on  the  piano  and  guitar,  and  drew  birds  and  butterflies 
passably  well.  Nadine's  marriage  was  with  a  young  officer, 
not  of  high  rank,  and  with  nothing  but  his  pay,  and  it  was 
the  signal  for  new  rules  in  her  mother's  establishment.  The 
nurse,  who  since  her  charges  left  the  nursery  had  become 
housekeeper,  was,  by  virtue  of  the  then  existing  laws,  made 
over  to  the  young  bride  as  part  of  her  dowry,  for  Nadine 
knew  nothing  of  housekeeping ;  and  poor  PoUnka,  who  knew 

^  Dim.  of  Polixena. 


Marriage 


155 


but  little  more,  was  installed  in  nurse's  place,  to  make  the 
tea  and  cofiee,  give  out  the  provisions,  attend  to  the  dairy, 
and  superintend  the  great  washings  and  cleanings,  which 
constitute  such  an  important  item  in  Russian  domestic 
economy. 

Polinka  did  her  duty  as  well  as  she  could,  but  she  did  not 
like  it  at  all;  she  was  young  and  inexperienced  too,  frightened 
to  death  of  her  aunt,  and  timid  in  giving  orders  to  the 
servants,  who  frequently  did  not  attend  to  them,  and  then 
she  had  to  bear  the  full  force  of  her  aunt's  ire.  Her  days 
were  passed  in  a  tearful,  striving,  but  rather  dawdling  ful- 
filment of  the  duties  imposed  on  her,  secret  readings  of 
poetry  and  prose,  which,  according  to  the  taste  of  the 
literature  of  the  day,  was  all  in  favour  of  melancholy,  solitude, 
disappointment  and  grief,  transcribing,  much  to  the  dis- 
pleasure of  her  aunt,  such  passages  as  seemed  to  suit  her 
case;  making  and  altering  her  very  limited  and  modest 
garments.  Poor  little  thing  !  do  not  judge  her  too  harshly, 
gentle,  well-informed  EngUsh  girl;  she  had  no  one  to  teach 
her  better,  no  one  to  encourage  her. 

At  last  an  army  doctor,  pitying  her  oppressed  and  persecuted 
state,  and  the  apparent  increase  of  rigour  with  which  she 
was  treated,  did  all  he  could  to  better  her  condition  by  offering 
himself  in  marriage.  She  was  a  blooming  girl  of  nineteen, 
quite  well-looking  enough  for  a  man  to  lose  his  heart  to; 
was  cheerful  enough  when  she  forgot  her  sorrows,  which  she 
always  did  when  he  talked  to  her,  and  was,  as  he  had  abundant 
occasion  to  observe  when  attending  her  uncle  in  a  long  and 
difficult  illness,  the  kindest,  best  little  body  in  the  world— 
to  his  mind.  He  was  twelve  years  her  senior,  and  not  the 
man  likely  to  take  the  fancy  of  a  young  girl;  but  she  was 


156 


Marriage 


thankful  and  overjoyed  at  the  chance  of  escape  from  her 
present  home,  and  consented  without  any  ado  to  be  his  wife. 

Her  uncle  and  aunt  were  glad  to  get  her  off  their  hands, 
useful  as  she  had  been  for  the  last  two  or  three  years :  they 
provided  her  with  a  dowry  of  scanty  proportions  with  regard 
to  linen,  but  magnificent  as  far  as  silk  gowns,  velvet  mantles, 
and  be-feathered  bonnets  went.  Arrayed  in  these,  the  young 
Doctorsha  made  her  wedding-visits  with  her  happy  husband, 
o  the  envy  and  distraction  of  her  young  friends,  and  especially 
of  her  cousin  Zizi  (who,  though  she  laughed  on  every  occasion 
at  the  worthy  bridegroom,  and  made  great  fun  of  the  whole 
affair,  secretly  envied  Polinka's  position  as  a  bride),  and  to 
the  admiration  and  rapture  of  the  mammas,  who  did  not  fail  to 
laud  to  the  skies  the  munificence  of  the  uncle  and  aunt,  and  to 
call  down  blessings  from  thence  on  the  orphan's  benefactors. 

Time  passed  on.  Polixena  made  a  very  kind  and  efficient 
wife  to  her  good  doctor,  and  the  domestic  duties,  that  before 
had  been  such  a  bore  to  her,  were  her  delight  and  pride  in 
her  own  house;  the  doctor  was  what  he  seemed  before  his 
marriage,  and  the  result  of  it  all  was  that  they  were  very 
happy  together.  He  had  procured  a  town  practice  in  the 
interior,  as  he  did  not  like  dragging  his  wife  and  household 
from  place  to  place  with  the  regiment,  and  he  was  getting  on 
in  the  world  quietly  and  surely,  when  one  day  Polinka  received 
a  letter  from  Nadine's  husband,  informing  her  that  he  had 
just  lost  his  darling  wife,  who  from  her  death-bed  had  implored 
her  cousin  to  take  compassion  on  her  little  five-years'-old 
Lizette.  He  added  that  he  was  on  the  point  of  leaving 
Moscow,  where  he  had  hitherto  lived,  for  the  Caucasus,  and 
proposed  assigning  a  sum  of  money  to  be  paid  to  Dr.  Koupdeff 
annually  for  his  little  girl's  maintenance. 


•^ 


Marriage 


157 


Polinka  glanced  at  her  husband  with  the  tears  streaming 
down  her  plump  cheeks. 

"Of  course!"  he  said,  in  answer  to  her  look;  "but  how 
shall  we  get  her  here  ?  Feodor  Pavlovitch  is  evidently  too 
much  distracted  by  this  terrible  misfortune  to  write  clearly. 
We  must  answer  this  letter,  and  ask  him  to  be  more  explicit 
But  no;  see,  he  says  he  is  going  on  the  15th,  and  it  is  the 
20th  to-day.  Consequently  he  is  already  on  the  road.  And 
where  has  he  left  the  child?  Listen!"  he  continued,  after 
a  short  pause,  holding  up  his  hand  as  it  was  his  wont  to  do 
when  he  wished  to  be  paid  attention  to;  "old  Mrs.  Stepanoff 
is  at  Moscow— write  to  her,  Polia,  and  ask  her  to  hunt  out 
the  poor  little  darling  and  bring  her  here  with  her  when  she 

returns  home." 

"An  excellent  idea !"  exclaimed  Mrs.  Koupeeff,  "and  she  is 
such  a  kind  person  that  I  am  sure  she  will  consent.  I  will  go 
immediately  to  her  daughter's  for  her  address.  Poor  dear 
Nadine  !  she  never  was  very  strong :  we  must  have  a  requiem 
performed,  Andre  Gavrilovitch." 

"Certainly;  but  go  at  once  to* Mrs.  Stepanoff 's  daughter's, 
while  I  write  the  letter  to  the  depot,  enclosing  poor  Feodor's, 
so  that  they  may  setde  all  his  affairs  comfortably  with 
Mrs.  Stepanoff.     It  is  post-day,  too." 

Matters  were  arranged  better  than  might  have  been  expected; 
the  letters  to  the  depot  and  to  Mrs.  Stepanoff  were  duly  sent, 
received,  and  attended  to ;  the  litde  girl  was  not  only  hunted 
out  by  the  active  and  benevolent  old  lady,  but  all  her  mother's 
upper  clothing,  and  the  goods  and  furniture  that  the  poor 
distracted  young  widower  had  left  in  the  care  of  his  landlord, 
were  advantageously  disposed  of,  the  linen  and  silver  collected, 
and,  together  with  the  little  Li^a,— a  delicate,  spoiled,  pretty 


158 


Marriage 


Marriage 


159 


\ 


child,— were  brought  safely  to  G ,  where  she  was  received 

with  showers  of  tears  and  kisses  by  her  "  aunt,"  as  Polixena 
Matveevna  called  herself,  and  as  the  first  cousins  of  parents 
always  are  called  by  the  Russians. 

The  Koupeeffs  had  two  little  ones  of  their  own,  fine,  merry 
boys  of  two  years  and  of  ten  months  old,  and  Polia  had  a  way 
of  getting  on  with  them  which  did  not  at  all  suit  the  irritable 
and  capricious  little  Liza.  The  doctor,  however,  had  views  of 
his  own  on  the  subject  of  physical  and  moral  education ;  he 
soon  found  out  that  Liza's  failings  were  more  those  of  bad 
breeding  than  of  character,  and  he  insisted  on  his  wife's  going 
hand  in  hand  with  him  in  bringing  her,  gently  but  firmly, 
to  the  standard  that  his  own  children  had  already  attained. 
In  a  year's  time  she  had  become  a  healthy,  good-natured» 
obedient  little  girl,  devotedly  fond  of  her  uncle  and  aunt,  and 
rewarding  them  for  the  extraordinary  pains  they  had  taken  in 
her  improvement,  by  her  affectionate  and  obliging  little  ways. 

Her  father  continued  to  write  regularly  for  some  years, 
during  which  time  Liza's  grandparents  died,  leaving  their  estate 
in  such  a  plight  that  the  eldest  son  could  do  nothing  but  sell 
it  in  order  to  pay  their  debts,  his  own,  and  his  brother's.  The 
elegant  Zizi,  after  refusing  several  good  men  in  the  hopes  of 
securing  a  "general,"  had  bestowed  her  hand  on  an  aged 
councillor,  who  was  known  to  be  extremely  wealthy,  and  who 
proved  to  be  extremely  stingy.  In  fact,  the  happiest  of  the 
whole  family  was  Polinka. 

When  Liza  was  about  ten,  oflUcial  information  was  received 
that  her  father  had  died  of  decline,  at  Vladikavkass.  Dr. 
Koupeeff  immediately  set  about  trying  for  a  nomination  in  one 
of  the  Institutes.  The  trouble  and  expense  (expense,  that  is, 
to  the  greater  part  of  petitioners,  to  whom  every  kopecka  is 


"  money ")  that  such  an  undertaking  incurs  are  only  rendered 
bearable  by  the  hope  of  their  being,  eventually,  not  taken 
in  vain.  First,  the  certificate  of  birth ^  and  baptism,  on  a 
stamped  paper  of  ninety  kopeckas'  value.  Secondly,  of  vaccina- 
tion, good  health,  and  sound  mental  faculties ;  particular  stress 
is  laid  on  the  child's  being  free  frcm  fits  of  any  kind.  The 
stamped  paper  for  this  costs  five  silver  roubles.  Thirdly,  the 
formulary  list  of  service  of  the  father,  or  his  certificate  if  he 
be  living  and  retired,  forty  kopeckas.  Fourthly,  if  he  be  retired 
on  account  of  ill  health,  a  medical  certificate  is  required,  one 
rouble.  Fifthly,  the  petition,  one  rouble;  and  sixthly,  a  certifi- 
cate of  the  acquirements  of  the  little  candidate,  signed  by  a 
competent  examiner,  and  written  on  ordinary  paper.  These 
documents,  when  collected,  are  sent  off  to  the  place  of  desti- 
nation, which  varies,  according  to  circumstances,  and  they 
generally  remain  a  very  long  time  unanswered  in  consequence 
of  the  immense  number  of  applicants,  and  the  consequent 
indispensability  of  ballot  Liza  was  not  more  fortunate  than 
others ;  but  her  turn  came  at  last,  and  in  her  twelfth  year  she 
was  nominated  to  an  Institute  of  high  repute.  No  outfit  was 
required,  for  the  orphans  are  clothed,  as  well  as  fed  and 
educated — fitted  for  governesses.  We  know  already  that 
Polixena  Matveevna  was  not  a  highly-educated  woman,  but 
with  the  assistance  of  a  master  for  arithmetic  and  grammar  she 
prepared  her  little  niece  very  creditably;  and  Liza  took  her 
stand  among  the  other  recruits  of  her  age,  equal  to  most, 
superior  to  many,  and  inferior  to  but  very  few. 

^  Formerly  this  certificate  was  to  be  procured  only  from  the  consistory  of 
the  diocese  in  which  the  child  was  bom ;  it  was  always  a  long  job,  and 
often  a  difficult  6ne,  if  the  family  had  removed  to  a  distant  government. 
Within  the  last  few  years  the  regulations  allow  of  its  being  simply  a  copy 
from  the  church  register,  attested  by  a  Priest,  Deacon,  and  Reader. 


i6o 


Marriage 


True  to  the  rule  that  every  undertaking  should  begin  with 
prayer,  and  end  with  thanksgiving,  the  Greco-Russian  Church 
provides  children  about  to  begin  or  to  resume  their  studies, 
with  a  special  service  for  the  purpose  of  asking  the  blessing  of 
God  on  their  new,  and  perhaps  unknown  duties.  It  is  used 
not  only  at  the  commencement  of  education,  but  on  the 
conclusion  of  long  holidays,  each  time  that  the  pupils  assemble 
anew,^  on  the  introduction  of  a  governess  or  tutor  into  a 
private  family,  and  previously  to  setting  forth  on  a  journey  for 
the  purpose  of  placing  a  boy  or  girl  in  an  educational  establish- 
ment. On  the  eve  of  the  day  of  Liza's  departure  from  home, 
her  uncle  took  her  to  church,  and  requested  that  this  Moleben 
might  be  performed  on  her  behalf. 

A  Naloy^  is  placed  in  the  body  of  the  church,  and  holy 
water  prepared.  The  hymn  to  the  Holy  Ghost  forms  the 
commencement;  it  is  followed  by  Psalm  xxxiv.,  which  is 
adapted  to  the  occasion  in  a  remarkable  manner,  inciting  the 
little  ones,  as  it  does,  to  the  joys  of  religion.  "  O  taste  and 
see  how  gracious  the  Lord  is  !  blessed  is  the  man  that  trusteth 
in  Him."  "  Come,  ye  children,  and  hearken  unto  me  :  I  will 
teach  you  the  fear  of  the  Lord."  The  great  Litany  is  then 
intoned  by  the  Deacon ;  to  it  are  added  the  following  special 
petitions : — 

"  That  it  may  please  Thee  to  send  down  on  this  child  (or 
children)  the  spirit  of  wisdom  and  understanding;  to  open 
their  minds  and  their  lips,  and  to  enlighten  their  hearts  to  the 
receiving  of  good  teaching." 

^  The  pupils  are  either  taken  to  church,  or  the  service  is  performed  in  the 
schoolroom ;  the  teachers  and  frequently  the  parents  attend  it,  and  join 
tlieir  prayers  with  those  of  the  Church  for  the  children  given  to  them  or 
committed  to  their  care.  *  A  small  moveable  reading-desk. 


Marriage 


i6i 


"  Lord^  have  mercy  on  us." 

"That  it  may  please  Thee  to  plant  in  their  hearts  the 
beginning  of  true  wisdom.  Thy  Divine  fear,  and  to  chase  from 
their  minds  the  follies  of  youth,  that  they  may  eschew  evil  and 
do  good." 

^^  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us." 

"  That  it  may  please  Thee  to  open  their  minds,  that  they 
may  receive,  understand,  and  retain  all  good  and  soul-saving 
teachings." 

^^  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us." 

"That  it  may  please  Thee  to  instil  into  their  minds  the 
wisdom  of  Him  that  sitteth  on  Thy  Throne,  that  they  may 
know  what  is  pleasing  to  him." 

"  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us." 

"  That  they  may  increase  in  wisdom  and  stature,  to  the  glory 
of  God." 

^^  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us." 

"That  they  may,  by  their  wisdom  and  virtuous  life,  and 
their  stedfastness  in  the  orthodox  faith,  be  the  joy  and 
comfort  of  their  parents  and  a  pillar  to  the  orthodox 
Church." 

"  Lord,  have  mercy  oft  us." 

"  That  it  may  please  Thee  to  preserve  them  and  us  from  all 
grief,  wrath,  and  want." 

^^  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us." 

"  Defend,  save,  preserve,  and  have  mercy  on  them  and  us, 
0  Lord,  by  Thy  grace." 

" Lord,  have  mercy  on  us" 

The  Priest  then  reads  this  conclusion  to  the  Litany : — 

"  As  Thou  amongst  Thy  disciples  camest  and  grantedst  them 
Thy  peace,  come  Thou  also  among  us,  and  save  us !"  with 


l62 


Marriage 


Marriage 


163 


several  other  "  verses,"  after  which  the  Epistle  and  Gospel  are 
read,  each  of  which  are  beautifully  adapted  to  the  occasion. 

Before  the  reading  of  the  Epistle  (Eph.  i.  16-20,  and  iii.  18-21), 
the  choir  always  sing  z.prokimen^  or  preparatory  verse. 

On  this  occasion  we  must  again  admire  the  selection  made  : 
it  is  from  Psalm  viii.  3  :  "  Out  of  the  mouths  of  babes  and  suck- 
lings hast  Thou  ordained  praise."  "  My  heart  shall  rejoice  in 
Thy  salvation." 

The  Gospel,  read  by  the  Priest  over  the  lowly-bent  heads 
of  the  children,  is  taken  from  St.  Mark  ix.  13-16.  On  its 
conclusion  they  kiss  the  Holy  Book  in  token  of  devotion  and 
respect  to  its  contents.  A  second  Litany  follows,  after  which 
the  Priest,  "  with  all  attention  and  feeling,"  reads  this  prayer  in 
a  loud  voice  : — 

"O  Lord  God,  our  Creator,  Who  didst  teach  us  men,  by 
teaching  Thy  chosen  disciples,  how  to  receive  Thy  instruction, 
Who  taughtest  Solomon,  and  all  others  who  sought  it.  Thy 
wisdom,  open  the  minds,  hearts,  and  lips  of  these  Thy 
servants,  that  they  may  acknowledge  the  justice  of  Thy  laws, 
and  understand  throughly  all  good  teaching  that  is  given  to 
them ;  to  the  glory  of  Thy  Holy  Name,  and  to  the  benefit 
and  strengthening  of  Thy  Holy  Church,  make  them  to 
understand  what  Thy  Holy  Will  is.  Defend  them  from  all 
assaults  of  their  enemies,  keep  them  firm  in  the  orthodox 
faith,  and  in  all  goodness  and  purity  throughout  all  the  days 
of  their  lives,  that  they  may  increase  in  understanding  and  in 
the  fulfilling  of  Thy  holy  commandments,  and  so  to  prepare 
themselves  to  glorify  Thy  Name  as  to  be  heirs  of  Thy 
kingdom." 

The  benediction,  in  the  following  words,  concludes  this 
beautiful  little  service : —  * 


"  The  blessing  of  God  be  with  you,  and  His  grace  and  fulness, 
and  mercy,  now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever." 

As  each  child  kisses  the  cross  held  in  one  hand  of  the  Priest, 
he  is  sprinkled  with  holy  water  from  the  brush  which  he  holds 
in  the  other  hand. 

Andr^  Gavrilovitch  took  her  to  Petersburg  himself,  and 
even  persuaded  his  wife  to  give  herself  a  holiday,  and  leave 
her  little  family  to  the  care  of  Anna  Martinovna,  a  kind,  useful 
old  maid,  who,  though  a  noble,  was  as  poor  as  a  church  mouse, 
and  was  only  too  glad  to  live  for  a  month  or  two  in  the 
doctor's  comfortable  house,  with  nothing  to  do  but  to  order 
dinners  and  make  teas  for  the  children,  and  to  partake  of  the 
same  with  them;  for  tiie  care  of  the  obedient,  well-behaved 
little  Koupdeffs  could  hardly  be  called  trouble.  She  knitted 
an  astonishing  number  of  children's  socks  most  exquisitely, 
during  her  sojourn  in  the  doctor's  house,  and  every  week 
wrote  tliem  a  letter  to  one  and  the  same  effect,  with  the 
slightest  possible  variation  of  expression.  "  Glory  to  God ! 
Pavlinka  and  Petinka  are  in  good  health,  and  Olinka  also, 
glory  to  God !  And  the  cows,  glory  to  God,  continue  to  give 
plenty  of  milk;  and  I  hope  you  and  the  most  respectable 
Andre  Gavrilovitch  are  in  good  health  and  prosperity."  In 
two  months  they  returned,  with  all  sorts  of  purchases,  which 
the  ladies  of  the  town  rushed  to  inspect  and  take  patterns 
from.  Papasha  brought  his  darling  Paul  and  Peter  complete 
coachmen's  costumes  for  winter  wear,  consisting  of  Httle  sheep- 
skin kaftans,^  embroidered  with  coloured  silks,  silken  girdles 
and  blue  velvet  caps,  and  a  sarafan  and  straw  hat  for  the  baby 
Olga,  with  plenty  of  toys  for  all  three.     Then  there  were 

^  A  long  coat  or  robe  worn  by  the  Russian  peasants  and  coachmen- 


^ 


'.T 


164 


Marriage 


Marriage 


165 


Petersburg  cotton  gowns  for  the  nurse  and  maid,  and  a  neat 
cap  and  woollen  dress  for  Anna  Martinovna,  who,  pleased  as 
she  was  to  receive  such  a  token  of  kind  feeling  from  her 
friends,  was  in  her  heart  of  hearts  sorry  to  see  them  at  home 
again  for  her  own  sake,  as  she  foresaw  the  necessity  of  taking 
her  leave.  The  children,  however,  were  so  fond  of  her,  and 
her  domestic  arrangements  during  Polixena  Matve'evna's 
absence  proved  her  to  be  so  orderly  and  careful,  that  the 
doctor  proposed  to  her  to  remain  with  them,  half  companion, 
half  housekeeper,  particularly  as  Polinka  was  not  quite  strong 
just  then,  and  required  more  time  for  attending  to  her  little 
boys'  studies. 

Peacefully  and  happily,  almost  without  alloy,  passed  six 
years  more  of  the  lives  of  the  Koupdeffs ;  two  or  three  children 
had  been  added  to  their  family;  Paul  and  Peter  had  been 
established  some  time  in  the  artillery  academy,  one  child  had 
nearly  died  of  the  croup,  and  another  badly  burnt,  though  he 
escaped  without  any  visible  scar  to  disfigure  him ;  new  papers 
had  been  hung  in  all  the  rooms,  and  a  piano  bought :  these 
were  the  most  remarkable  events  in  their  home  history ;  but 
now,  the  return  of  Liza  from  the  Institute  was  regarded  as  a 
sort  of  era  in  the  family. 

Aunt  Zizi,  who  lived  at  Petersburg,  and  whose  stingy 
husband  had  left  her  a  wealthy  widow,  had  taken  but  little 
notice  of  Liza,  except  now  and  then  to  bring  or  send  her  a 
lath  basket  pf  sweetmeats,  apples,  or  oranges;  but  she  now 
undertook  to  equip  her,  and  even  went  so  far  as  to  add  a  few 
articles  from  her  own  purse.     Liza  stayed  with  her  until  an 

opportunity  occurred  for  her  return  to  G with  a  lady 

escort,  and  the  few  weeks  that  she  lived  in  Aunt  Zizi's  house 
were  principally  employed  in  buying  and  ordering  the  necessary 


things;  but  the  elder  lady,  who  had  always  had  a  "strong 
weakness"  (as  they  say  in  Russ)  for  dress  and  personal  orna- 
mentation, was  surprised  to  find  so  litde  sympathy  on  Liza's 
part  on  the  subject.  All  her  endeavours  to  raise  raptures  about 
wreaths  of  flowers,  canezous,  high-heeled  boots,  ear-rings,  nets, 
&c.  &c.,  were  fruitless ;  Liza's  answer  generally  being — 

"  Yes,  I  suppose  it  will  do,  thank  you,  aunt.     It  is  all  the 

same  to  me." 

"  Ah  !   such  a  lovely  net   as   that,  and    she  says  '  it  ^vill 

do,'  mais  c'est  a  ravir  I     It  will  strike  all  your  stupid  poky 

G people  !     And  the  hat  i  la  paysanne!  go  and  put 

it  on." 

Liza  would  submit,  for  the  sixth  time  in  the  course  of  that 
day,  and  suffer  herself  to  be  admired  and  criticised  by  her 
aunt  and  her  aunt's  friends,  to  whom  all  the  purchases  were 
exhibited  for  approval.  Zizi  certainly  had  good  taste,  and 
they  were  unanimously  pronounced  to  be  magnifiqtie,  char- 
inatit,  parfaitement  de  bon  gout^  and  so  on. 

At  last  the  opportunity  arrived,  in  the  person  of  an  elderly 
landed  proprietress,  who  was  performing  a  sort  of  pilgrimage 
from  one  monastery  to  another.  She  had  not  long  before 
arrived  from  the  Solovetsky  monastery  on  the  White  Sea, 
and  she  now  intended  returning   to    her  estate,  which  was 

not  far  from  G ,  and  belonged  to  that  district.     The  day 

of  departure  was  fixed,  and  Liza  began  to  prepare  for  her 
journey;  one  more  visit  to  the  old  familiar  walls  of  the 
Institute,  one  last  embrace  of  the  kind  instructresses  and  dear 
companions,  and  then,  with  all  her  finery  carefully  packed, 
her  album  full  of  farewell  and  exalte  effusions,  she  set  forth  on 
her  road  home. 

Many  were  the  day-dreams  she  indulged  in  during  that 


i66 


Marriage 


weary  fortnight ;  it  was  in  the  winter,  and  consequently  they 
had  to  travel  in  the  old-fashioned  kibitka,  stopping  every 
twenty  or  twenty-five  versts  to  change  horses,  to  warm  them- 
selves and  to  drink  tea,  or  dine  in  the  hot  uncomfortable 
station-houses.  Liza's  protectress  slept  almost  the  whole 
time  that  they  passed  in  the  kibitka,  and  thus  her  reflections 
were  seldom  interrupted,  and  her  inevitable  dulness  rarely 
brightened.  The  brief  visit  to  Aunt  Zizi  had  left  an  un- 
satisfactory impression  on  her  mind,  and  she  longed  to  meet 
her  second  mother,  and  to  pour  all  her  airy  castles,  her  doubts 
and  wishes,  into  that  kind  and  indulgent  bosom. 

Then  came  the  long-wished-for  arrival,  the  joyful  meeting, 
the  exclamations  of  surprise  at  Liza's  growth,  Anna  Marti- 
novna's  open  admiration  of  her  good  looks,  Liza's  delight  with 
the  baby  (babies  are  things  unknown  in  the  Institute),  and  her 
astonishment  that  Olinka  knew  who  she  was,  forgetting  that 
the  child  had  heard  Httle  or  nothing  but  conjectures  about 
Liza's  arrival  for  the  last  month  or  more. 

After  the  first  burst  of  welcome  and  joy  had  subsided, 
Polixena  Matv^evna  led  her  to  a  neat,  cheerful  little  bed- 
room, prettily  furnished,  where  she  found  a  green  stand  full 
of  plants  in  bloom  (Andre  Gavrilovitch  did  not  consider 
plants  poisonous),  a  work-table,  book-shelves  with  "  Maikoff' s 
Poems,'*  Mey's  sweet  verses,  Tourgenieff's  exquisite  "Notes 
of  a  Sportsman,"  and  other  well-selected  works,  besides  the 
already  received  numbers  of  two  or  three  of  the  best  peri- 
odicals. These  little  attentions  touched  our  Institutka;  she 
was  prepared  to  love  Polixena  Matveevna  as  she  would 
her  own  mother,  and  when  she  heard  the  kind  voice  say, 
"  If  I  have  forgotten  anything  that  you  want,  dear,  tell  me, 
and  you  shall  have  it  if  it  is  in  our  power,"  the  young  girl 


Marriage 


167 


burst  into  tears,  and  could  not  utter  a  word  for  happiness  and 

gratitude. 

"  Now,  aunty,"  she  said  the  next  morning,  when  they  all 
met  at  the  coffee-table,  she  looking  much  prettier  after  a  good 
night's  rest,  and  attired  in  one  of  the  becoming  Petersburg 
dresses,  and  with  her  beautiful  light  brown  hair  arranged 
nicely,  "  I  do  not  intend  to  be  idle ;  I  want  to  help  you ;  you 
must  give  me  some  occupation.     And  I  think,  if  you  would 
allow  me  to  teach  Olia,  I  should  be  able,  and  Yashinka  too, 
when  he  is  a  little  older.     You  will  let  me,  aunty  ?" 
"  By  all  means ;  only  do  not  spoil  them." 
"  Oh  no  !  I  will  be  dreadfully  strict.     Then  I  must  help  you 
to  sew.     Do  you  know  that  the  Empress  praises   the  good 
sewers  more  than  the  beautiful  embroiderers  ?    I  can  sew  very 
neatly.  And  we  will  read,  together,  aunty,  and  play  duets;  yes?" 
"  My  dear,  I  never  was  a  performer." 
"  But  secondo?  surely,  aunty,  you  can  manage  a  secondo? 
Is  your  piano  a  good  one  ?    Let  me  see  !" 

The  Koupeeffs  hoped  to  find  Liza  capable  of  playing 
passably,  but  they  were  quite  unprepared  to  hear  such  a 
finished  performance,  and  it  was  a  real  delight  to  them,  for 
both  were  great  lovers  of  music ;  the  charm  of  her  playing 
was  enhanced  by  the  readiness  with  which  she  always  sat 
down,  and  the  apparent  unconsciousness  of  so  far  surpassing 
most  lady  musicians.  Anna  Martinovna  applauded  loudly,  to 
the  secret  annoyance  of  the  other  hearers. 

Liza  was  very  happy ;  her  needlework,  piano,  little  Olga's 
studies,  and  her  own  reading,  formed  her  daily  occupations ; 
while  occasional  visits,  a  dance  now  and  then,  a  ride  on 
horseback,  a  row  on  the  river,  deprived  the  quiet  life  of  a 
country  town  of  a  degree  of  monotony  which  would  have 


1 68 


Marriage 


been  irksome  to  the  lively  girl,  who,  however  thoroughly  she 
enjoyed  it  when  afforded,  was  by  no  means  eager  after  amuse- 
ment ;  her  aunt  adored  her,  and  with  her  uncle  she  was  on  the 
best  possible  terms,  until — 

Yes,  tmtil !    Until  Gregory  Gregoridvitch — the  aulic  coun- 
cillor, aged  forty-five,  the  owner  of  the  best  house  in  G 

(with  a  wing,  too),  the  possessor  of  some  fifty  thousand 
roubles  safe  in  the  Interior  Loan  (and  consequently  with  five 
hundred  chances  of  winning  the  much  envied  two-hundred- 
thousand  prize !) — a  very  respectable,  worthy,  and  not  dis- 
agreeable person — made  Liza  an  offer  of  marriage ! 

When  her  uncle,  whom  this  distinction  greatly  flattered  and 
delighted,  communicated  it  to  her,  he  was  extremely  surprised, 
disappointed,  and  to  say  the  truth  enraged,  on  hearing,  as  far 
as  a  violent  flood  of  tears  would  permit,  a  decided  and  definite 
refusal. 

"  She  was  so  happy  at  home.  She  did  not  care  a  fig  for 
Gregory  Gregorievitch,  and  she  did  not  want  to  be  married  at 
all.  AVould  much  rather  live  with  her  dear  aunt."  Here  she 
threw  herself  on  Mrs.  Koupeeff 's  neck,  "  and  begged  of  her 
uncle  to  tell  that  insupportable  old  thing,  Gregory  Gregorie- 
vitch, that  she  never  could,  never  would  ..." 

"Insupportable  old  thing!"  repeated  Andre  Gavrilovitch, 
who  considered  forty-five  as  the  prime  of  life.  "  Sudarinia,^ 
are  you  aware  of  whom  you  are  speaking  ?  And  do  you  not 
know  that  I  am  your  lawful  guardian  ?  that  you  are  bound  to 
obey  me,  Sudarinia?  Liza,  Liza,"  he  added,  deeply  hurt,  "I 
never  should  have  expected  this  from  you  !" 

"  Don't  scold  me,  uncle.!  forgive  me !"  she  exclaimed, 
seizing  his  hand  and  kissing  it.      "Wait  a  little!   I   hardly 

.    ^  My  lady  or  madam. 


Marriage 


169 


know  what  I  am  saying.     I  never  thought  of  such  a  thing, 

uncle!" 

"  Give  her  a  day  or  two  to  consider,  Andre  Gavrilovitch," 
said  Polixena  Matvdevna,  wiping  her  eyes  and  drawing  Liza  to 
her  j  "  she  is  frightened,  perplexed." 

"  Well,  well,  be  it  so,"  said  the  doctor ;  "  to-morrow  evening 
at  tea-time  I  shall  expect  your  answer,  Elizavetta  Feodorovna ; 

and  I  hope Think,  my  soul !"  he  continued,  with  tears 

in  his  eyes,  for  if  he  did  lose  temper,  it  was  never  for  long ; 
"think  of  the  future  !  As  long  as  I  am  able  to  serve,  I  count 
it  a  happiness  and  blessing,  God  knows,  to  have  you  in  my 
house  and  cherish  you  as  my  own  dear  child ;  but  if  I  were  to 
fail  in  health,  or  if  it  were  to  please  God  to  take  me  hence  ? 
Think  of  that!" 

"  I  would  go  out  as  governess,  and  send  all  my  salary  to  you 
or  aunty,"  cried  the  affectionate  girl,  "but  not  be  Gregory 

Gregorievitch's  wife  !     No,  not  for ^" 

"Stop,  stop!  many  is  the  happy  wife  that  has  said  those 
same  words.  Reflect  seriously,  my  little  angel.  Compose 
yourself,  and  try  to  think  of  him  more  favourably.  Go  and 
talk  to  Anna  Martinovna!" 

Alas !  but  little  sympathy  did  she  meet  with  in  matter-of- 
fact  Anna  Martinovna,  who  had  heard  of  the  offer  before  it 
was  spoken  of  to  Liza,  and  was  almost  as  pleased  as  the 
doctor.  She  was  sitting  in  the  tea-room,  with  her  spectacles 
on,  laying  out  a  fortune  with  an  old  pack  of  cards,  and  Liza 
saw  that  she  was  the  subject  of  her  divinations  by  the  queen 
of  spades  (her  representative  as  a  brown-haired  lady)  lying  in 
the  middle  of  the  octagon.  Not  a  word  was  spoken  by  either 
until  the  queen  had  arrived  safely  by  the  side  of  the  king  and 
ace  of  diamonds,  which  meant  Gregory  Gregorievitch  and  his 


11 


170 


Marriage 


house,  when  Anna  Martinovna  took  the  opportunity  of 
launching  forth  into  praises  of  that  worthy,  of  his  mother 
(a  cross,  stingy  old  lady,  whose  very  existence  formed  one  of 
Liza's  principal  objections,  though  she  did  not  dare  acknow- 
ledge it),  of  his  disposition,  generosity,  important  position,  &c. 
The  handsome  house,  with  its  inevitable  wing,  the  splendid 
furniture,  the  paper  hangings  and  cornices  from  St.  Petersburg, 
the  carriages  and  grey  horses,  garden  and  hot-houses,  were  all 
described,  extolled,  and  commented  on.  Liza  felt  worried  to 
spitefulness,  and  the  last  stroke  was  added  by  Anna  Marti- 
novna exclaiming  rapturously,  "  And  how  he  will  dress  you ! 
He  says  that  you  shall  have  nothing  to  do  from  morning  to 
night  but  sit  in  velvet,  jewels,  and  flowers,  like  a  Tzaritza." 

*'  I  don't  want  to  be  dressed  in  velvet !"  said  Liza,  crossly; 
"it  must  be  very  hot,  and  stiff,  and  uncomfortable;  and 
flowers  always  tickle  my  neck  and  prick  my  head.  I  detest 
them  !  A  most  delightful  prospect  truly,  to  sit  still  and  do 
nothing  from  morning  to  night :  I  should  be  a  corpse  in  no 
time  !  Like  a  Tzaritza,  too  !  1  wonder  whether  he  ever  saw 
a  Tzaritza  doing  nothing  all  day?  I  wish  he  could  see  our 
Empress,  and  know  what  a  deal  she  does  !  As  for  the  jewels 
— well,  I  should  like  to  have  a  good  watch,  I  confess." 

"  He  '11  give  you  a  beauty,"  said  Anna  Martinovna,  "  all 
studded  with  brilliants." 

"  I  don't  want  it  studded  with  brilliants,"  cried  Liza,  still 
more  irritated  than  before,  "  only  a  good  goer !  Do  please 
remember,  Anna  Martinovna,  that  we  are  not  living  in  the 
days  of  the  boyarins,  when  such  persuasions  had  weight  with 
their  cooped-up  girls.  I  wish,"  she  said,  relapsing  into  her 
tearful  state,  "  that  he  would  marry  jv//,  Anna  Martinovna  !" 

**  I  wish  he  would,  too,  my  dear,"  said  the  good-natured  old 


Marriage 


171 


lady,  laughing  heartily,  which  made  Liza  cry  more  than  ever. 
"  I  should  like  to  see  myself  dressed  in  velvet,  crowned  with 
flowers,  and  covered  with  jewels,  I  should  !" 

"  Oh !  you  cruel,  provoking  creature !"  sighed  poor  Liza. 
"  I  came  here  thinking  you  would  comfort  me,  and  take  my 
part,  and  instead  of  that ^" 

The  bare  hint  at  unkindness  was  enough  to  melt  the  soft 
heart  of  the  really  amiable  woman ;  she  threw  her  arms  round 
Liza,  and  promised  never  to  say  another  word  in  favour  of 
the  unwelcome  suitor,  and  even  to  tell  PoUxena  Matvdevna 
that  he  was  quite  an  unsuitable  match  for  such  a  young  girl. 
Liza  sat  sobbing,  in  a  weak-minded  manner,  a  very  picture  of 
misery,  till  supper-time,  when  she  slipped  away  to  bed  without 
eating  a  morsel. 

Of  course  the  subject  was  renewed  next  morning  with 
Polixena  Matv^evna,  who  had  received  strict  orders  from  the 
doctor  to  do  her  utmost  to  persuade  Liza  to  accept  this  grand 
off'er.  At  last,  finding  all  her  arguments  fail,  she  came  to  her 
own,  perhaps  a  very  natural,  conclusion.  She  made  up  her 
mind  that  her  niece  preferred  somebody  else,  and  communi- 
cated the  idea  to  her  husband. 

"  In  that  case,"  said  he,  gravely,  "  God  forbid  I  should  force 
her.  Try  to  find  out,  my  dear.  Who  can  it  be  ?  Lord,  forgive 
us  our  sins  !    Yes,  that  may  be,  who  knows?" 

Now  she  was  one  of  those  happy  girls  who  can  dance  with 
agreeable  and  good-looking  young  officers  and  employes^  ride 
out  with  them  (aunty  and  the  children  following  in  the 
droschky),  play  duets  with  them,  and  yet  not  take  a  particular 
fancy  to  any  or  either  of  them.  She  was,  in  fact,  perfectly 
heart-free.  She  supposed,  if  ever  the  notion  entered  her  head, 
indeed  she  felt  quite  sure  that  one  of  these  days  she  should  be 


'I! 


172 


Marriage 


married,  be  very  fond  of  an  ideal  of  a  husband,  and  have 
beautiful  little  children  with  naturally  curling  hair ;  but  she 
was  so  completely  happy  at  home,  that  this  feeling  was  by  no 
means  the  besetting  one.  And  not  one  young  man  had  yet 
appeared  whom  she  preferred  to  another.  She  was  very 
miserable,  quite  desperate  indeed,  when  tea-time  was  ap- 
proaching, and  the  dreaded  hour  of  decision  drawing  near. 
She  did  not  know  which  alternative  was  the  most  frightful, — 
vexing  her  dear,  kind,  generous  uncle,  or  marrying  that 
pompous,  middle-aged,  business-like  old  thing.  His  years 
were  a  sort  of  a  day  cauchemar,^  for  ever  returning  to  her 
imagination ;  he  had  lost  a  front  tooth  too ;  though  to  be  sure 
he  was  an  excellent  man,  everybody  said  so ;  but  if  he  would 
be  so  very  kind  as  to  make  an  offer  to  somebody  else,  she 
Veally  did  think  she  might  acknowledge  that  she  liked, 
respected,  wished  well  to  Gregory  Gregorievitch.  But  as  her 
suitor,  she  detested  him. 

"  There's  nothing  to  be  done,"  she  said  to  herself,  "  but 
to  tell  uncle  that  I  can't.  And  if  he  is  most  dreadfully  angry 
with  me,  why,  I  have  a  diploma,  and  I  can  go  out  as  governess. 
Perhaps  I  shall  meet  somebody  there  whom  I  can  love.  But 
how  lonely  I  shall  be  without  aunty  and  Olinka,  and  dear 
uncle !  and  Varinka,  and— oh  !  oh  !"  But  aunty  came  to 
her  relief. 

"There  is  something  mysterious  in  all  this,  Lizotchka,"^  she 
said,  entering  the  pretty  bed-room  where  the  weeping  damsel 
sat.  "  Now,  will  you  be  candid  with  me,  and  tell  me  the  real 
and  true  reasons  that  you  have  for  going  against  your  uncle's 
wishes  ?  It  strikes  me  that  you  must  have  an  attachment,  my 
dear.  Now  it  is  quite  natural  and  pardonable  if  you  have,  at 
^  Nightmare.  2  djjjj.  for  Elizavetta. 


« ■  ■« » ji»^ 


Marriage 


173 


\ 


your  age ;  but  before  we  decidedly  refuse  Gregory  Gregorievitch, 
you  must  tell  me  who  it  is." 

Then  there  was  a  way  to  escape.  An  idea,  which  she  in- 
stantly repulsed,  flashed  through  her  mind.  She  sat  pinching 
her  handkerchief,  with  downcast  eyes.  Did  she  really  like 
anybody?  No.  Decidedly  not.  But  if  she  said  so,  then 
uncle  would  insist  on  her  marriage.  Must  she  tell  a  lie  ?  Is 
not  there  any  one  whom  she  loves  ?  Shoubine,  who  sings  so 
beautifully?  or  Prshlensky,  that  handsome  Pole?  Belaeff? 
No,  she  did  not  care  a  straw  for  one  of  them. 

"Well,  darling,  who  is  it?    No  one  but  Andre  Gavrilovitch 

shall  know ;  tell  me  !" 

One  struggle  more  with  her  pure,  unsullied  conscience,  and 

the  fib  was  told.     "  Leonoff !" 

"  Leonoff?"  Polixena  Matv^evna  was  actually  struck  speech- 
less with  surprise,  and  could  only  pronounce  that  one  name  m 
alternate  tones  of  interrogation,  astonishment,  amusement,  and 
doubt.  Liza  sat  like  a  statue,  frightfully  pale,  her  deep  breath- 
ing only  giving  sign  of  life. 

"  And  he  ?"  at  length  gasped  her  aunt ;  "  has  he  ever  spoken 

to  you,  does  he " 

"  Never !"  whispered  poor  Liza,  as  she  fell  to  the  floor  in  a 

state  half  hysterical,  half  fainting. 

In  the  course  of  the  evening  a  note  was  composed,  written 
out  clean  on  a  sheet  of  large  writing-paper,  in  the  doctor's  bold, 
clear  hand,  and  dispatched  to  the  aulic  councillor,  the  receipt 
of  which  very  much  astonished  that  excellent  gentleman. 

Leonofl"  was  the  poorest,  youngest,  and  most  modest  of  all 

the  young  men  of  G .     He  was,  however,  not  ill-looking, 

had  completed  a  university  education,  and  bore  the  character 
of  a  most  worthy,  intelligent,  and  respectable  youth.     But  he 


1  * 


174 


Marriage 


Marriage 


175 


entered  into  society  so  little,  and,  when  he  did  make  his 
appearance,  was  so  reserved,  almost  shy  with  the  ladies,  and 
especially  with  the  young  ones,  that  it  is  not  to  be  wondered 
at  that  the  Koupdeffs  were  astonished  at  Liza's  confession. 

It  was  just  for  all  these  reasons  that  she  had  selected  his 
name,  nothing  more.  Nothing  could  exceed  the  kindness 
and  delicacy  of  her  uncle  and  aunt  on  the  subject;  but  her 
mental  sufferings  were  terrible.  Her  shame  before  Almighty 
God  for  her  wilful  lie,  her  dread  of  Leonoff's  hearing  of  it,  her 
affectionate  heart's  misery  at  thus  deceiving  and  continuing  to 
deceive  her  dearest  friends,  all  combined  to  make  her  far  more 
wretched  than  an  unrequited  or  deceived  attachment  could 
have  done.  Often  was  she  on  the  very  point  of  throwing  her- 
self at  her  guardians'  feet,  confessing  all,  and  imploring  their 
forgiveness ;  she  felt  ready  even  to  make  up  for  her  faults  by 
declaring  herself  ready  to  marry  her  rejected  suitor,  but  for- 
tunately for  her  he  had  not  pined  long  after  her  refusal.  He 
had  made  up  his  mind  to  get  married,  and  set  about  wooing 
and  winning  the  handsome,  but  next  to  speechless  daughter  of 
a  Priest,  without  delay.  What  she  dreaded  most  on  earth  was, 
meeting  Leonofif  face  to  face, — "  eyes  to  eyes,"  as  they  say  in 
Russ,  and  reading  in  those  eyes  the  knowledge  of  a  secret  that 
did  not  exist.  And  her  reflections  how  he  must  despise  and 
detest  her  formed  scarcely  less  subject  than  the  rest  for  her 
torturing  self-reproaches. 

Leonoff's  history  is  soon  told ;  his  father  was  a  poor  employe, 
the  youngest  son  of  a  good  old  country  family.  He  died  soon 
after  his  only  boy  had  entered  the  University  of  Moscow,  and 
his  widow  took  up  her  abode  with  a  married  daughter.  When 
her  son  Constantine  Petrovitch  finished  the  university  course, 
she  very  much   wished  to  accompany  him  to  the  distant 


government  whither  he  was  going  to  serve,  and  where  a  very 
modest  appointment,  with  a  very  tiny  salary,  had  been  offered 
to  him.  Her  daughter,  however,  dissuaded  her,  until  Kostinka^ 
should  gain  a  little  promotion,  and  be  in  a  position  to  receive 
his  mother  in  comfort. 

He  lodged,  as  it  happened,  in  an  old-  brown  log  house 
belonging  to  a  deaf  relation  of  Anna  Martinovna,  who  "  did  " 
for  him,  and  was  always  loud  in  his  praises.  He  paid  so 
regularly,  was  so  content  with  his  meals,  and  so  careful  of  his 
clothes  ',  never  had  any  noisy  parties ;  only  now  and  then  a 
visitor,  as  quiet  and  retiring  as  himself,  would  call  in  to  drink 
a  glass  of  tea  and  smoke  a  papyros  of  an  evening  with  her 
"  golden  "  lodger.  For  she  was  very  fond  of  him,  and  loved 
to  imagine  that  a  little  son  of  hers  that  had  only  lived  long 
enough  to  be  christened,  and  who  would  have  been  about 
Leonoffs  age,  would  have  been  just  such  another,  and  she 
literally  treated  him  with  maternal  tenderness.  In  the  confu- 
sion caused  by  Liza's  hysterics  on  the  memorable  evening  of 
her  confession,  his  name  had  been  incautiously  mentioned  in 
Anna  Martinovna's  hearing,  and  she  could  not  resist  the  temp- 
tation of  relating  the  extraordinary  circumstance  to  the  deaf 
relative,  who  in  her  turn  took  an  early  opportunity  of  mention- 
ing it  to  her  lodger. 

Poor  Leonoff !  if  ever  a  daring  thought  had  entered  his  head 
—if  ever  he  did  dream  of  love  and  matrimony,  an  image  very 
like  Liza's  always  figured  in  those  dreams.  He  dared  not 
wholly  believe  the  truth  of  his  landlady's  whispered  communi- 
cation, the  possibility,  the  probabiUty  of  it ;  he  stared,  then 
bent  down  to  write  again,  for  he  blushed  like  a  girl,  murmur- 
ing, "  Nonsense,"  "  Impossible  1"  yet  felt  supremely  happy. 

^  Dim.  for  Constantine. 


i 


176 


Marriage 


Marriage 


177 


He  had  heard  that  Gregory  Gregori^vitch  had  wished  to 
marry  Liza,  and  as  it  happened  that  he  was  under  that  coun- 
cillor's command,  he  had  fancied  how  pleasant  it  would  be  to 
have  such  a  sweet,  amiable,  unceremonious  young  chiefess. 
Then  he  had  heard  of  the  refusal,  which  was  considered  as  the 
most  extraordinary  and  incomprehensible  piece  of  foolishness 

by  the  inhabitants  in  general  of  G .     And  now  he  knew 

the  reason  !  but  was  it  true  ?  Could  it  be  ?  would  it  ever  be  ? 
Notwithstanding  all  his  modesty,  he  could  not  help  hoping 
that  it  was  not  altogether  an  impossibility ;  and  so  meditated 
and  meditated,  until  he  was  fairly  in  love. 

At  last  they  met,  for  the  first  time  since  they  had  begun  to 
think  of  each  other  under  such  strange  circumstapces.  As  a 
rule  Leonoff  rather  hated  dancing  than  otherwise,  especially 
when  he  scarcely  knew  his  partners,  and  he  always  set  out  to 
a  party  with  the  feeling  that  he  must  pay  a  tribute  due  from 
youth  to  the  middle-aged  givers  of  a  dance,  and  dance  he  did, 
but  only  to  please  his  host  or  hostess.  On  this  occasion,  how- 
ever, he  prepared  for  the  party  with  a  beating  heart,  and  felt 
glad  that  he  had  not  rendered  the  only  way  of  gaining  a  few 
minutes'  conversation  with  Liza  impossible,  by  refusing  to 
dance  on  former  occasions. 

The  Koupeeffs  arrived  after  Leonoff,  and  Liza  evidently  had 
partners  previously  engaged,  with  whom  she  danced,  talked, 
and  laughed  in  her  modestly,  self-possessed  way,  apparently 
unconscious  of  LeonofTs  presence.  But  oh  !  how  she  felt  the 
watching  and  following  of  those  brown  eyes,  how  she  dreaded 
meeting  them  in  the  grande  ro?ide,  and  avoided  even  passing 
by  the  door,  where  he  stood  between  the  dances.  But  at  last 
he  approached  her,  and  succeeded  in  engaging  her  for  a 
quadrille.    The  fourth,  fifth,  sixth  were  promised ;  she  blushed 


painfully  while  the  invitation  was  going  on,  and  accepted  the 

'' Thf  man  must  have  been  more  than  human  had  he  not 
interpreted  that  blush  of  shame  and  self-reproach  favourably 
for  himself    The  quadrille  passed  in  the  most  unsatisfactory 
manner :   Leonoff  tried  all  sorts  of  subjects   but  L.za  got 
inextricably  confused ;  she  felt  ready  to  cry,  and  .f  it  had  been 
any  one  else  but  Constantine  Petrovitch  she  must  have  rushed 
away  from  the  quadrille,  she  thought.     Her  poor  htt  e  soft 
hand  trembled  in  his  like  one  in  an  ague ;  and  how  he  longed 
to  be  able  honourably  to  hold  it,  as  his  own,  to  calm  the 
frightened,  fluttered  heart,  to  tell  her  how  long,  how  very  long 
Jo  he  had  loved  her!     But  "noblesse  oblige,"  and  so,  alas! 
L^pauvretL   He  did  not  hint,  in  the  most  distant  nianner  a 
his  feelings,  but  he  went  home  perfectly  happy;  enough  that 
he  had  seen  those  blushes,  that  nervous  confusion  that  he  had 
felt  that  trembling  hand  once  more  as  he  seated  her  after  the 
quadrille.     He  resolved  to  work  harder  than  ever,  at  any  rate, 

to  gain  a  step,  and  then.  ...  .  „      r.      i,„. 

While  Liza  gradually  forgot  her  misery, -especially  after  her 
confession  in  the  Great  Fast  following,  and  little  by  little  re- 
gained her  happiness  and  equanimity. 

About  two  months  after  this  first  meeting,  which  proved  to 
be  by  no  means  the  last,  and  which  was  followed  by  several 
others,  each  less  embarrassing  than  the  precedmg  one,  Dr 
Koupdeff  received  a  parcel  of  books  through  the  post,  and 
went  to  get  it  and  to  write  the  receipt  for  it  m  the  book  at 
the  post-office.  In  Russia,  a  post-master  is  an  officer ;  and 
as  all  money-letters  and  parcels  pass  through  his  hands  he 
generally  knows  pretty  well  how  people's  affairs,  m  a  little 
town  like  G ,  stand. 


M 


I 


178 


Marriage 


"  Andr^  Gavrilovitch,  my  respects !  Come  for  the  little  par- 
cel? Immediately!  Take  a  chair,  I  beg.  We  have  a  great 
deal  to  do  to-day,  and,  besides  that,  plenty  of  visitors.  Easter 
will  soon  be  here,  and  we  have  a  great  deal  of  money  corre- 
spondence in  consequence.  Ah  yes  !  Constantine  Petrovitch 
Leonoff— you  are  pleased  to  be  acquainted  with  him  ?" 

"  Yes,  I  know  him  slightly." 

"  Well,  he  has  had  a  money  letter  from  Moscow— two  hun- 
dred roubles,  sir,  and  an  insured  letter  from  Yaroslavl" 

"I  congratulate  him,"  said  the  doctor,  as  he  signed  the 
book  which  the  postilion  placed  before  him,  "  and  wish  him 
such  letters  every  post" 

"Stop  a  minute  I"  continued  the  loquacious  post-master; 
"  thaf  s  not  all !  only  fancy  why  the  money  was  sent,  sir.  For 
the  expenses  of  a  journey  to  Yaroslavl,  sir.  He  has  come  into 
an  inheritance  of  an  estate  with  two  hundred  souls,  sir ;  he  is  a 
landed  proprietor,  Andre  Gavrilovitch." 

"  Is  it  possible?"  said  the  doctor,  delighted  always  to  hear 
of  his  neighbour's  good  fortune ;  "  I  am  truly  glad  to  hear  of 
it !  He  is  a  very  good  young  fellow,  and  always  respectful 
and  affectionate  to  us  old  boys.     There  is  the  receipt     Good 

morning !" 

"  My  respects,  Andre  Gavrilovitch  !" 

It  was  perfectly  true.  No  one  was  more  surprised  than 
Constantine  himself,  who  was  entirely  ignorant  of  the  fact  that 
the  heir  to  the  estate,  an  orphan  cadet  of  twelve  or  fourteen, 
had  died  a  few  months  before  his  grandfather,  who  was  a 
second  or  third  cousin  of  Leonoff's.  The  estate  was  in  excel- 
lent condition,  and  the  old  man  had  left  neither  debts  nor 
pledges;  all  that  Leonoff  had  to  do  was  to  go  and  take  pos- 
session of  his  property. 


Marriage 


179 


The  Koupeeffs  did  not  tell  Liza  of  this  change  in  his 
affairs ;  they  thought  it  best  for  it  to  come  to  her  knowledge 
by  other  means.  In  the  evening  of  that  same  day,  Leonoff 
himself  came,  and  entered  the  doctor's  cabinet  and  consult- 
ing-room, which  was  close  to  the  entrance-door,  as  cabinets 
generally  are.  Andrd  Gavrilovitch  was  reading  attentively 
the  new  medical  books  he  had  received  in  the  morning,  and 
the  sound  of  the  spring-bell  when  Leonoff  opened  the  outer 
door  did  not  attract  the  attention  of  the  other  members  of 
the  family,  as  the  doctor  had  visitors  at  all  hours  of  the  day, 
who  had  no  business  with  anybody  but  with  him.  After  the 
first  greetings,  Leonoff  told  him  of  his  unexpected  good  for- 
tune, showed  him  both  letters,  and  concluded  by  asking  Liza 

in  marriage. 

"My  dear,  I  am  rejoiced,  thank  the  Lord!"  cried  the 
doctor,  embracing  his  guest  "God  bless  you!  I'll  call  her 
directly,"  he  said,  hurrying  out  of  the  room,  and  quite  for- 
getting that  the  young  lady  must  be  prepared  for  such  a  meet- 
ing. 

"  I  have  the  honour  to  congratulate  you  on  an  offer  of  mar- 
riage, Liza!"  he  exclaimed,  entering  the  sitting-room  hastily, 
where  Polixena  Matv^evna  was  at  work,  while  Liza  read  aloud, 
and  Anna  Martinovna  knitted  her  eternal  stocking,  "  It's  all 
right ! "  he  added  to  his  wife,  and  nodding.  "  Constantine 
Petrovitch  does  you  the  honour  to  ask  your  hand,  Lizavetta 
Feodorovna ! "  he  continued,  with  a  low  bow ;  "  he  has  just 
inherited  an  estate  with  two  hundred  souls.  I  have  the  honour 
to  congratulate  you !     Come  along  !'* 

Liza  stared  vacantly  at  her  uncle,  and  turned  red  and  pale 
by  turns.  "  The  time  for  my  punishment  is  come,"  thought 
she ;    "  I  will  go  through  it,  with  God's  blessing,  and  may 


i8o 


Marriage 


He  accept  my  penitence!"    "May  I  go  alone?'*  she  said, 

timidly. 

The  doctor  laughed.  "  Oh,  by  all  means,  if  you  wish  it ! 
Go,  with  God's  blessing!"  He  was  in  tremendous  spirits; 
and  when  Liza  had  left  the  room,  he  not  only  kissed  his  wife, 
but  even  Anna  Martinovna,  in  the  plenitude  of  his  joy. 

Liza  entered  the  cabinet  where  Leonoff  sat  waiting  his  fate, 
and  then  stood  still  at  the  door.  He  rushed  forward  and 
attempted  to  take  her  hands,  but  she  put  both  behind  her. 

«  Constantine  Petrovitch,"  she  began,  "  let  me  speak."  She 
could  hardly  utter  the  words  audibly,  her  voice  was  thick,  and 
her  speech  stuttering.  "  I  am  very  guilty  before  you.  Forgive 
me,  for  Christ's,  sake  !  I  told  a  He  !  I  made  use  of  your  honest 
name  as  a  screen.  I  never  loved  you.  Forgive  me!"  she 
cried,  prostrating  herself  at  his  feet.  He  raised  her  before  her 
pale  forehead  had  touched  the  floor,  and  placed  her  gently  m 
her  uncle's  arm-chair.     A  passionate  burst  of  tears  came  to  her 

relief. 

"Calm  yourself,  I  intreat  of  you,  Lizavetta  Feodorovna!" 
he  said  kindly.  "Whatever  you  may  have  done  wrong 
towards  me,  I  forgive  beforehand.  There!  wipe  your 
eyes !    Tell  me  what  it  is  that  you  mean,"  he  continued  at 

intervals. 

"Who  \o\Ayou  r  she  asked,  for  mistrust  whispered  to  her 

that  he  knew. 

"  Never  mind  who  told  me,  Lizavetta  Feodorovna  ;.  enough 
that  it  made  me  very,  very  happy  for  nearly  half  a  year.  And 
it  is  in  your  power  to  make  me  still  happier." 

"  But  you  do  not  know  all  about  it,  Constantine  Petrovitch  ; 
you  do  not  know  how  guilty  I  am;"  and  in  a  few  words  she 
told  him  all,— all,  without  disguising  one  fact  or  feeling. 


Marriage 


i8i 


He  listened  in  silence,  with  a  smile  of  indulgent  pity  on  his 

countenance. 

"  Then  this  is  the  penance  you  have  imposed  on  yourself? 
Then  may  God  forgive  you  as  I  do  !"  he  said,  rising,  and 
making  the  sign  of  the  cross  over  her.  "Let  us  forget  all 
about  this  business  except  the  pleasant  part  of  it, — I  mean 
the  hopes  I  have  cherished  so  long, — and  you  know  how 
silently,  Liza.  Must  they  be  given  up?  May  I  not  hope 
that  the  words,  hastily  spoken  last  year,  may  be  repeated  in 
earnest,  one  of  these  days?  Give  me  a  chance  of  pleasing 
you. — Liza !"  He  took  the  hand  that  had  trembled  so  at  the 
Christmas  party.  "  You  have  made  me  your  father  confessor 
to-day,  and  you  have  received  pardon ;  but  you  must  let  me 
impose  a  penance  on  you.  I  ask  no  more  than  this — do  not 
quite  refuse  me  till  I  return  from  Yaroslavl, — I  shall  be  gone  a 
month." 

"  As  you  will." 

"  Liza  !  Liza  !"  he  cried,  kissing  her  hand ;  "  you  shall  love 
me  at  last !  you  will  consent,  I  know  !    And  you  will  let  me 

write  to  you  ?" 

"  Under  cover  to  my  uncle."  She  rose  from  her  seat,  and 
continued,  firmly  now, — "  Pray  understand  that,  for  your  sake 
as  well  as  my  own,  I  can  say  nothing  further  until  your  return. 
And  I  should  wish  this  to  remain  between  us." 

With  the  hopefulness  and  buoyancy  of  youth  he  consented 
to  her  terms,  and  bade  her  farewell.  "  I  shall  go  to-morrow ; 
my  kibitka^  is  being  prepared  now.  It  will  be  a  horrid  journey 
in  the  thaw,  and  almost  worse  when  I  return ;  but  it  is  all  the 
same  to  me  now,"  he  added,  in  a  burst  of  sincerity  that  he 
could  not  repress.     "  Good-bye,  Lizavetta  Feodorovna." 

^  A  winter  equipage. 


H 


l82 


Marriage 


"  Till  we  meet  again,  Constantine  Petrovitch.** 
Dr.  Koup^eff  seemed  rather  disappointed  when  Liza  told 
him  that  no  arrangements  were  to  be  made  until  Leonoff's 
return,  and  that  they  both  wished  the  affair  to  be  kept  secret 
till  then.  He  consented,  however,  to  her  receiving  letters  from 
Constantine,  and  said  that  she  might  answer,  which,  however, 
she  did  not  intend  to  do. 

The  next  day  he  could  not  refrain  from  coming  once  more 
before  his  departure.  He  found  his  hoped-for  bride  still  very 
reserved  and  timid,  but  the  last  shake  of  the  hand,  which, 
however,  she  would  not  allow  him  to  kiss,  had  a  mysterious  in- 
fluence on  his  spirits,  and  he  left  G in  a  state  of  happiness 

that  he  had  never  in  his  hfe  experienced.  On  his  arrival  at 
the  estate,  he  wrote  her  a  short,  respectful,  business-like  letter, 
which  it  gave  her  greater  pleasure  to  receive  than  she  ever 
expected.  The  next  was  longer  and  slightly  more  familiar :  he 
described  the  house  and  village,  the  gardens  and  surrounding 
country,  his  meeting  with  his  mother  and  unmarried  sister, 
who  had  come  from  Moscow  to  join  him ;  told  her  of  the 
joyful  consent  of  the  former  to  his  early  marriage,  and  of  his 
having  nearly  secured  a  Government  situation  in  the  neigh- 
bouring town,  which  was  merely  four  versts  from  the  estate. 

Half-a-dozen  letters,  her  aunt's  and  uncle's  warm  repre- 
sentations, Anna  Martinovna's  botherings,  and,  enfin,  her  own 
gratitude  for  his  delicacy  and  kindness,  her  pity  for  his  dis- 
appointment //-—and  her  appreciation  of  his  worth,  which 
no  one  questioned,  settled  the  matter.  When  the  time  came 
for  his  return,  Liza's  mind  was  quite  made  up,  and  she 
welcomed  him  from  her  very  heart.  She  even  went  to  meet 
him  in  the  entrance  when  she  saw  him  approaching  the  house, 
instead  of  waiting  for  him  in  the  drawing-room*    as   Anna 


Marriage 


183 


i 


Martinovna  said  a  bride  should  do,  dressed  in  a  white  muslin 
dress  and  pink  ribbons. 

"Are  you  prepared  to  fulfil  your  penance  completely?"  he 
asked,  smiling,  after  the  first  greetings,  which  were  strictly  formal. 
"  It  is  no  longer  a  penance,"  said  Liza,  looking  at  him  in  the 
eyes,  but  with  tears  gathering  in  her  own.  She  had  made  up 
her  mind  to  be  candid  with  him,  at  the  expense  of  every  young- 
lady-like  scruple. 

"I   must  invent   another,   then,"   said  he,   now  perfectly 
happy;  and  taking  her  hand,  they  went  together  into  the 
saloon,  where  Dr.   Koupeeff  met  them,  joined  their  hands, 
and  made  them  kiss  each  other.     Polixena  Matveevna  came 
in  at  the  same  time,  and  after  mutual  greetings,  the  bride  and 
bridegroom  were  blessed  by  Liza's  uncle  and  aunt     In  a  few 
days  the  betrothal  took  place,  in  honour  of  which  a  ball  was 
given.     The  Priest  blessed  the  young  couple  before  the  com- 
pany assembled,  in  the  presence  of  the  family  only,  and  a  few 
intimate  friends.      The  ceremony  is  very  short,   consisting 
merely  of  a  few  prayers  which  the  Priest  reads  before  the 
picture  in  the  saloon,  after  which  the  pair. exchange  rings,  and 
kiss  each  other.     This  ceremony  is  not  always  observed,  and 
seems  to  be  gradually  going  out  of  fashion. 

You  seldom  hear  of  a  match  being  broken  off  in  Russia, 
yet  the  numbers  of  hurried  and  precipitate  engagements  that 
take  place  are  truly  astonishing.  After  the  betrothal,  the 
bridegroom  almost  lives  in  the  house  of  the  bride,  all  his 
time  being  spent  with  her  except  that  required  for  service. 
He  goes  home  at  a  late  hour,  and  makes  his  appearance  at 
coffee  (luncheon  time)  next  morning.  This  is  very  pleasant 
for  the  parties  themselves,  but  is  sometimes  irksome  to  the 
good  mammas. 


Au 


1 84 


Marriage 


Marriage 


185 


From  the  day  of  Liza's  betrothal,  the  whole  house  was  ia 
a  whirl  of  business.  Workwomen  were  hired  to  make  the 
trousseau,  and  joined  the  nurse  in  singing  wedding  choruses 
from  morning  to  night.  Polixena  Matv^evna  did  nothing 
but  cut  out  and  give  orders ;  and  the  doctor,  who,  like  most 
Russian  house-fathers,  was  an  excellent  purchaser,  chose  and 
bought  all  the  linen,  calico,  muslin,  and  prints  required- 
bargaining,  as  he  himself  expressed,  "  in  the  sweat  of  his 
brow."  Aunt  Zizi  was  applied  to  for  the  bonnets  and  dresses, 
and  all  those  articles  which  come  under  the  term  "  modes," 
two  or  three  great  boxes  of  which  arrived  through  the  post 
in  six  weeks'  time  after  the  money-letter  was  sent.  Con- 
stantine  Petrovitch,  according  to  the  old  Russian  custom, 
made  his  bride  a  present  of  her  wedding  costume,  which  his 
married  sister  sent,  ready-made  from  a  "body"  of  Liza's 
that  was  forwarded  to  her,  from  one  of  the  first  magazines 
at  Moscow.  He  also  presented  her  with  various  articles  of 
jewellery,  and  with  a  watch,  without  any  ornaments  in  particular, 
"  but  a  good  goer."  This  was  Anna  Martinovna's  contrivance, 
for  she  and  Leonoff  were  great  friends,  and  he  often  used  to 
consult  her  on  httle  matters.  Once  she  happened  to  relate  to 
him  her  conversation  with  Liza  on  the  evening  of  Gregory 
Gregorievitch's  proposal,  and  he  instantly  wrote  for  the  best 

that  could  be  found  at  D ,  the  nearest  Government  town, 

after  much  secrecy,  whisperings,  and  mystery  between  him  and 
the  good  old  lady,  who  was  as  happy  as  a  child  on  such 
occasions. 

The  dowry  of  a  Russian  maiden  is  a  very  serious  thing ; 
not  only  must  she  have  a  more  than  full  wardrobe  for  her 
own  personal  use,  but  all  the  household  linen,  kitchen  utensils, 
silver,  tea  and  dinner  services,  carpets,  and  even  curtains— 


M 


frequently  the  furniture  of  the  bed-room  and  boudoir  of  the 
bride,— are  provided  by  the  parents.^  A  piano  is  indispen- 
sable with  people  in  good  circumstances,  even  if  the  bride 
be  no  musician.  People  in  straitened  circumstances  begin  to 
scrape  things  together  for  their  daughters  from  their  eariy 
childhood ;  and  where  a  spare  ten  or  five-rouble  note  turns  up, 
it  is  sure  to  be  laid  out  in  linen  or  caUco,  or  something  of  the 
sort,  to  be  made  up,  litde  by  little,  as  time  permits.  The 
amount  of  linen  and  plate  that  is  sometimes  given  is  really 
exorbitant,  and  the  former  by  far  too  much  for  the  ordinary 
lifetime  of  a  woman.  In  such  a  case,^it  goes  to  her  daughters. 
I  know  one  bride,  the  wife  of  a  person  holding  by  no  means 
an  important  position,  who  "carried  off"  eight  poods'^  of  plate 
in  different  forms,  from  the  indispensable  teaspoon  to  a  wash- 
ing-basin and  jug.  All  was  solid  silver;  not  one  article  was 
plated.  The  wedding  presents,  such  as  are  made  by  relatives 
and  friends  to  an  English  menage,  are  seldom  given,  except 
when  the  parties  are  very  poor,  and  then  the  richer  relations 
sometimes  help  them. 

Liza's  dowry  was  handsome  and  plentiful,,  but  not  tremen- 
dous. The  uncle  had  been  a  careful  and  conscientious  guar- 
dian, and  the  little  sum  of  money  realized  by  the  sale  of  her 
parents'  effects  at  Moscow,  which  had  been  advantageously 
placed  out  at  interest,  was  now  made  use  of.  Until  then  the 
whole  expense  of  her  wardrobe,  &c.,  had  been  the  Koup^eff's, 
since  her  father's  death.  Her  mother's  plate  was  almost  un- 
touched, and  came  to  her  just  in  the  same  state  as  it  had  to 
Nadine  some  twenty  years  before. 

1  Should  the  young  wife  die  childless,  her  dowry  can  be  lawfully  claimed 
by  her  parents,  except  her  bed,  and  the  picture  with  which  she  was  blessed. 

2  288  lbs.  avoirdupois. 


1 86 


Marriage 


Marriage 


187 


Occasionally  the  young  ladies  of  G formed  parties,  and 

came  to  help  the  bride  make  her  clothes.  I  cannot  say  much 
work  was  done  on  these  occasions,  and  Polixena  Matv^evna 
had  sometimes  to  unpick  and  re-sew  the  tasks  performed 
by  the  noisy  young  sempstresses,  who,  however,  were  all 
firmly  persuaded  that  they  had  been  of  great  use.  Polixena 
Matveevna  always  grumbled  as  much  over  this  as  her  nature 
permitted,  for  it  is  a  popular  belief  that  if  any  part  of  the 
dowry  be  unpicked  the  young  couple  will  be  sure  to  quarrel 

after  marriage. 

They  were  obliged  to  hurry  the  preparations,  as  the  vacancy 
to  which  LeonofT  had  the  promise  of  being  appointed  was  to 
occur  in  June,  and  he  did  not  wish  to  let  it  pass,  as  it  was 
merely  nominal,  with  the  slightest  possible  business,  and 
would  scarcely  interfere  with  his  many  duties  as  a  landowner, 
but  would  conduce  to  his  importance  in  the  Government  nobi- 
lity. The  engagement  took  place  in  April,  and  the  wedding- 
day  was  fixed  for  the  ist  of  June.  The  Russians  have  a  sort 
of  superstition  about  weddings  in  May  (founded  on  the  resem- 
blance in  sound  of  the  verb  to  be  worried,  to  the  name  of 
the  month),  supposing  them  to  be  unlucky.  And  our  worthy 
Koup^effs  were  not  free  from  the  usual  "beUefs"  of  their 

country. 

Consultations  had  been  going  on  during  the  whole  time  of 
the  engagement  concerning  the  guests  of  honour  to  be  invited 
as  "  assistants  "  at  the  wedding.  These  are  more  numerous 
than  those  required  at  an  English  wedding,  as  the  following 

list  will  show. 

First,  in  importance,  is  the  Tysatsky,  or  witness  in  the 
church  books  to  the  marriage.  He  is  generally  the  grandest 
of  the  connexions,  but  not  a  very  near  relation ;  for  instance, 


not  the  father  or  grandfather  of  either  of  the  parties.  If  the 
family  list  fail  to  find  a  person  answering  to  the  degree  of 
importance  required,  viz.,  rank  or  position,  age,  and  sufficient 
affluence  to  render  the  office  unimportant  to  him  in  a  pecu- 
niary manner,— an  acquaintance  is  invited.  The  Tysatsky 
pays  for  the  lighting-up  of  the  church— in  some  places  the 
Priest's  fees  ;  but  I  think  that  his  mere  presence,  especially 
if  he  have  the  heavy  epaulettes  of  a  general  or  colonel,  and 
plenty  of  orders  and  medals,  is  the  great  thing  aimed  at  He 
has  nothing  to  do  at  the  ceremony,  and  is  in  fact  merely  the 

witness. 

Next  comes  the  ladies  of  honour,  who  accompany  the  bride 
and  bridegroom  to  church.  In  the  absence  of  the  godmothers 
of  the  parties,  they  are  selected  from  among  the  nearest  mar- 
ried relatives,  aunts,  sisters,  &c.  These  failing,  the  most  inti- 
mate acquaintance  are  requested  to  undertake  the  office,  always 
having  in  view  that  the  indispensable  finery  be  not  unsuitable 
to  the  age,  position,  or  finances  of  the  lady. 

The  Schafers,  or  bridesmen,  have  the  greatest  part  to  play 
as  far  as  doing  is  concerned,  the  others  merely  being.  They 
ought  to  be  young  unmarried  men  of  lively  and  agreeable  dis- 
positions, good,  and  not  idle  dancers,  able  to  take  on  them- 
selves the  office  of  masters  of  the  ceremonies  for  the  whole 
day.  Their  duties  are  many  and  various,  but  they  have  no 
actual  expenses  to  meet,  except  indeed  the  purchase  of  sweet- 
meats (bon-bonnieres)  for  the  bridesmaids.  The  schafers,  who 
are  required  both  for  bride  and  bridegroom,  are  generally  two 
in  number,  but  often  they  are  doubled  and  trebled ;  and  the 
more,  of  course  the  merrier. 

Another  personage,  whose  office  must  not  be  forgotten,  is 
the  Boyarin,  who  carries  the  picture  to  church ;  both  bride 


i88 


Marriage 


and  bridegroom  have  one.  He  is  generally  a  little  boy  from 
four  to  ten  or  twelve  years  old,  though  in  the  absence  of  so 
young  a  child  in  the  family  an  adult  frequently  fills  his  place. 
These  persons,  who  of  course  suppose  that  they  form  a  very 
important  feature  in  the  ceremony,  carry  the  pictures  with 
which  the  pair  have  been  blessed,  face  outwards,  flat  against 
their  breasts,  holding  them  on  each  side,  and  on  their  arrival 
at  church  deliver  them  over  to  the  Reader,  who  places  them 
leaning  against  the  altar-screen,  or  takes  them  behind  the  royal 
gates,  and  leaves  them,  in  either  case,  during  the  marriage 
service,  when  they  are  again  given  to  the  Boyarins  to  be  taken 
home. 

There  is  also  an  ofiice  which  a  person  in  an  inferior  station 
is  always  delighted  to  fill.  The  housekeeper,  the  dress-maker, 
the  old  nurse,  or  the  bride's  wet-nurse,  sometimes  a  relative  of 
lower  degree,  is  invited  to  superintend  the  carrying  of  the 
dowry  from  the  house  of  the  bride's  parents  to  that  of  her 
future  husband,  to  arrange  her  room,  and  prepare  everything 
for  her  private  use. 

The  bridesmaids  are  not  dressed  alike  in  general,  and  not 
confined  to  numbers.  They  assemble  at  the  bride's  house, 
help  to  dress  her,  and  accompany  her  to  church.  The  only 
rule  that  seems  to  be  observed  concerning  them  is  that  the 
bride's  schafer  has  the  privilege  of  choosing  one  of  them  to 
escort  to  church — a  distinction  which,  though  often  embarrassing 
to  all  parties,  is  in  most  cases  delightful  to  one,  and  perhaps  two. 

Liza  insisted  on  having  the  devishnick  (farewell  girls'  party) 
without  the  presence  of  one  gentleman,  and  on  the  eve  of  the 

wedding-day  all  the  unmarried  ladies  of  G ,  from  twelve 

or  fourteen  years  of  age  to  old  Matrona  Evgrafovna,  the  pro- 
topope's  rich  sister,  assembled;  they  danced,  sang  choruses, 


•l 


I 


Marriage 


189 


chased  each  other  in  the  garden,  and  made  a  tremendous 
noise.  Anna  Martinovna  was  in  her  glory,  and  performed 
the  Kazatchoky  a  national  dance,  with  Nina  Strjalkoffska,  the 
apothecary's  daughter,  a  lively,  pretty,  half-Polish  girl  of 
seventeen,  to  the  delight  of  all  beholders.  Tea,  ice-cream,, 
sweetmeats  and  lemonade,  were  consumed  to  a  frightful  extent, 
and  excited  grave  doubts  in  the  mind  of  the  doctor, — who  was 
only  allowed  to  be  witness  from  the  door  of  his  cabinet, — as  to 
the  state  of  health  the  partakers  would  find  themselves  in  the 
next  day.  Finally  they  sat  down  to  supper,  at  which  they 
scarcely  ate  anything,  but  in  which  figured  a  "Temple  of 
Love,"  made  of  macaroons,  with  Olinka's  doll,  in  the  char- 
acter of  Cupid,  sitting  in  the  middle,  crowned  with  flowers, 
and  with  wings,  bow  and  quiver,  complete,  all  made  of  gilt 
paper.  This  was  a  surprise  prepared  by  Anna  Martinovna, 
who  was  great  in  fancy  cookery,  and  it  was  hailed  with 
screams  of  delight  by  the  easily-pleased  party,  who  forth- 
with demolished  the  temple  with  one  accord,  and  then 
divided  the  ornaments  as  a  remembrance  of  their  frolic- 
some evening. 

Liza  was  excited,  and  frisked  with  her  young  companions, 
played  for  their  dancing,  sang  and  danced  with  the  rest  as  if 
she  were  still  one  of  them ;  but  when  they  were  gone,  the 
reaction  was  violent,  and  she  sobbed  on  her  aunt's  shoulder 
as  if  her  heart  were  breaking.  The  doctor  became  concerned, 
and  gave  her  some  drops,  blessed  her,  and  made  her  say  her 
prayers  in  his  presence.  In  a  little  time  her  sobs  became 
less  frequent,  but  he  desired  his  wife  not  to  leave  her  until 
she  had  fairly  gone  to  sleep.  Polixena  Matv^evna  sat  by  her 
bedside  until  her  hand,  which  had  been  grasped  in  Liza's, 
could  be  gently  disengaged  from  the  now  yielding  fingers, 


190 


Marriage 


and  whispering  a  blessing  on  the  slumbering  girl,  she  made  the 
sign  of  the  cross  over  her  three  times,  and  stole  out  of  the 
room  on  tiptoe. 

When  Liza  awoke  the  next  morning,  she  saw  Anna  Martin- 
ovna  standing  by  her  bedside  with  a  little  parcel  in  her  hand. 

"  From  the  bridegroom  !"  she  exclaimed,  "  with  his  compli- 
ments, and  a  lady's  maid,  my  golden  Lizavetta  Feodorovna  1 
She  arrived  only  yesterday  afternoon  from  the  estate,  and  is 
waiting  to  see  you." 

"  A  lady's-maid  ?  How  kind,  how  thoughtful  of  him  1  My 
dear,  excellent,  good  Kostinka  !  how  he  does  spoil  me  1  Let's 
see  her,  Anna  Martinovna  !" 

The  good  soul  ran  away  for  the  maid,  and  Liza  sat  up  in  bed 
and  unsealed  the  packet,  which  contained  a  morocco  case,  in 
which,  on  the  delicate  white  velvet,  lay  a  beautiful  set  of  jewels, 
intended,  doubtless,  as  an  accompaniment  to  the  wedding- 
dress  ;  also  a  small  but  well-executed  picture  of  her  patroness 
saint,  with  a  written  paper  to  the  effect  that  it  came  with  the 
blessing  of  her  affectionate  mother  Maria  Leonoff. 

In  came  Anna  Martinovna,  followed  by  a  tall,  stout,  smiling 
girl  of  eighteen  or  twenty,  smartly  dressed,  who  approached  the 
bedside  with  innumerable  bows,  and  kissed  Liza's  hand,  repeat- 
ing what  was  evidently  a  prepared  speech. 

"Good  morning  to  you,  my  beauty!  my  golden  young 
mistress !  my  red  sun  !  my  lapooshka,  doushinka,  Elizavetta 
Feodorovna !  Constantine  Petrovitch  desires  his  humble 
obeisance,  and  so  does  our  mother  Maria  Vladimirovna,  and 
our  young  lady  Katerina  Petrovna.  I  beg  of  you,  my  beauty, 
to  love  and  pity  me,  your  humble  servant  and  true  slave !"  and 
she  kissed  Liza's  shoulder  as  she  ceased  speaking. 

"  What  is  your  name,  my  dear?"  said  Liza,  rather  confused. 


Marriage 


191 


' 


"  Prascovia,  sudarinia.  Pardsha  they  call  me.  I  would 
dare  to  inform  you  that  Constantine  Petrovitch's  body-servant, 
Dmitry  (Mitka  Crooked-nosed  they  call  him  at  our  place),  is 
my  father.     My  bom  father,  sudarinia.'* 

Pardsha  laid  stress  on  tliis  relationship,  as  though  it  were  a 
distinction. 

"  Oh,  indeed!"  said  Liza. 

"  He  was  body-servant  to  Vavil  Yakovlitch,  our  deceased 
master  (the  kingdom  of  Heaven  be  his),  who  was  pleased  to 
send  me  to  Moscow  to  learn  serving  and  dress-making." 

"  Ah !"  said  Liza,  "  that's  very  nice." 

"  Exactly  so,  my  golden  beauty  %  I  lived  with  a  madame 
seven  years,  and  I  learned  the  whole  art,  even  to  the  cutting- 
out  business,  sudarinia;  but  when  Constantine  Petrovitch  came 
to  the  estate,  batioushka  begged  him  to  take  me  home,  and  so 
he  left  directions  with  Maria  Vladimirovna  to  send  for  me,  and 
tlien  pack  me  off  to  you,  my  lady." 

"  Very  well,"  said  Liza,  amused  at  the  girl's  talkativeness  and 
the  selection  of  long  words  which  a  half-educated  Russian  so 
loves  to  introduce.  "  But  to-day  I  should  like  my  old  servant 
to  attend  me  for  the  last  time;  we  shall  have  time  to  get 
acquainted,  Parashinka.  You  can  go  to  the  girls'  room,  my 
pretty,  and  they  will  give  you  some  sewing  to  do." 

Liza  hastened  to  dress  herself;  long,  long  did  she  remain  on 
her  knees  before  the  dear  familiar  picture  of  the  Saviour,  before 
which  she  had  offered  so  many  prayers  of  repentance,  so  many 
supplications  that  the  cloud  might  pass,  before  she  knew  how 
generous  and  good  he  would  prove,  and  so  many  of  thank- 
fulness when  she  found  in  what  honest  hands  she  had  fallen. 
Long  did  she  pray  for  strength  and  wisdom,  for  His  blessing 
on  her  future  husband,  whom  she  now  indeed  did  love — loved 


192 


Marriage 


Marriage 


193 


and  respected  to  adoration.     Never  did  a  happier  bride  rise 
from  her  knees  on  the  morning  of  her  wedding-day. 

The  old  custom  is  for  the  betrothed  pair  to  fast  (eat  nothing) 
on  the  day  of  their  marriage  until  after  the  ceremony,  which 
in  the  family  of  a  noble  almost  always  takes  place  in  the 
evening.  Polixena  Matvdevna  insisted  on  Liza's  eating  a  good 
breakfast  and  dinner,  and  she  very  sensibly  obeyed.  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Koupe'efF,  accompanied  by  the  bride,  attended  early  mass, 
and  had  a  moleben  performed.  At  twelve  o'clock,  the  schafers 
arrived.  Constantine  of  course  chose  his  most  intimate  com- 
rades for  the  office  ;  one  was  a  very  lively  young  man,  with  the 
reputation  of  a  wit,  but  he  had  merely  the  faculty  of  making 
people  laugh  by  the  way  in  which  he  said  things.  On  this 
occasion,  however,  he  made  quite  a  literary  speech,  as  Anna 
Martinovna  said,  having  tact  enough  to  refrain  from  amusing 
anybody  until  the  evening.  The  other  was  the  handsome  Pole, 
an  unwearied  dancer  and  a  great  favourite  with  all  the  ladies. 
Liza's  schafers  were  the  junior  doctor,  chosen  merely  because 
he  was  unmarried  and  Dr.  Koup^eff  wished  it,  and  fancied  that 
he  would  be  offended  if  not  invited,  as  he  was,  of  all  the 
bachelors,  the  most  frequent  visitor  at  the  house.  He,  in  his 
turn,  accepted  the  office  from  the  sole  wish  of  not  offending 
the  Koupeeffs  by  a  refusal.  His  companion  was  a  wild  young 
junker  (cadet  without  rank  in  the  army),  a  distant  relative  of 
the  doctor's,  who  had  been  in  love  with  Liza  five  distinct 
times,  and  five  distinct  times  been  cruelly  refused;  yet  he 
continued  on  the  best  possible  terms  with  her,  and  kept  putting 
off  the  threatened  blowing-out  of  his  brains  until  a  plausible 
opportunity,  which,  he  announced  to  her,  had  now  arrived. 

"With  God's  blessing!  Anatoly,  you  are  incorrigible!"  said 
Liza,   vexed.      He  opened  the  piano  and   sang  Schubert's 


"  Adieu,"  with  exaggerated  expression,  and  continued  playing 
the  part  of  a  distracted  lover  the  whole  time,  but  the  Koupe'efTs 
were  so  accustomed  to  his  extravagances  that  no  one  paid  the 
slightest  attention  to  his  groans  and  sighs.  He  had  pledged 
his  woollen  counterpane,  a  pair  of  winter  goloshes,  and  an 
accordion,  in  order  to  raise  funds  to  buy  not  only  his  share  of 
bon-bonnieres  for  the  bridesmaids,  but  a  beauty  for  Liza.  His 
companion  placed  a  large  box  of  caramel  on  the  table,  with 
the  brief  information  that  it  was  for  "  the  girls,"  and  relapsed 
into  a  silent  state  of  smiles,  while  the  three  others  "  did  "  the 
absurd,  the  gallant,  and  the  necessary,  i.e,  concerning  the 
arrangements  about  the  carriages,  who  was  to  go  with  whom, 
and  so  on;  coffee  and  a  champagne  luncheon  followed,  and 
they  took  their  leave. 

Polixena  Matveevna  had  been  busy  since  early  morning, 
preparing,  arranging,  and  giving  orders.  She  and  Anna 
Martinovna  had  decorated  the  usual  parlour  as  a  dressing- 
room,  Liza's  little  chamber  being  too  small  to  accommodate 
so  many  young  ladies.  Polixena  Matveevna's  toilet-table  was 
placed  between  the  windows,  wreathed  with  flowers ;  the  wed- 
ding costume,  consisting  of  a  handsome  white  brocade  dress, 
with  the  usual  wreath  and  veil,  was  spread  out  on  the  sofa, 
and  all  the  rest  of  the  garments  to  be  worn  by  the  bride,  on 
a  table.  Here  also  lay  a  tea-tray  covered  with  a  napkin,  and 
filled  with  what  is  called  "maiden  beauty,"  and  supposed  to 
be  the  cast-off  attributes  of  girlhood,  which  the  bride  dis- 
tributes among  her  companions.  This  is  in  imitation  of 
peasant  brides  (or  rather  the  keeping  up  of  a  custom  that 
dates  hundreds  of  years  back),  who,  until  their  marriage,  wear 
ribbons  at  the  end  of  the  plait  of  hair  which  hangs  down 
their  backs,  and  on  their  wedding-day  cut  them  up  and  divide 


194 


Marriage 


them  among  their  young  friends.  Immediately  after  the  mar- 
riage  ceremony  the  hair  is  braided  into  two  plaits,  and  wound 
round  the  head,  which  for  ever  afterwards  remains  covered 
with  a  sort  of  tight  cap  tied  behind,  and  leaving  the  ears  exposed 
—or  else  with  a  cotton  or  silk  handkerchief  bound  round  the 
head,  and  tied  behind  in  a  bunch  of  ends. 

In  the  saloon,  on  a  small  table,  covered  with  a  snowy  nap- 
kin trimmed  with  lace,  and  looped  up  with  orange  blossoms, 
were  placed  a  large  picture  of  the  Virgin,  with  silver-gilt 
platings  and  a  handsome  frame,  a  large  bun-loaf  at  least  two 
spans  in  diameter,  and  a  silver  salt-cellar,  filled  with  salt,  on 
the  top  of  it  Before  the  picture  was  spread  a  little  carpet, 
part  of  Liza's  dowry.  After  the  departure  of  the  schafers, 
the  Priest  was  sent  for,  and  after  a  short  moleben  these  objects 
and  the  wedding-clothes  were  blessed  solemnly.  The  family 
then  dined,  and  soon  after  the  young  ladies  began  to  assemble 

to  dress  the  bride. 

Nina  Strjalkoffska  was  the  first  to  come ;  she  was  very 
grave  (for  her),  and  only  the  sight  of  the  bon-bonnieres,  and 
her  being  requested  to  choose  which  she  liked  best,  roused  her 

from  her  melancholy ;  she  and  all  the  young  ladies  of  G 

were  truly  grieved  to  lose  their  amiable  and  affectionate  com- 
panion. Little  Ohnka,  who  had  been  alternately  crying  for 
the  loss  of  her  angel,  her  archangel  Lizotchka,  or  dancing  with 
delight  at  the  anticipation  of  seeing  a  wedding,  was  to  dis- 
tribute the  "  maiden  beauty,"  which  consisted  of  a  handsome 
neckerchief  or  ribbon  for  each  young  lady.  I  need  hardly 
say  that  the  change  of  coiffure  observed  by  the  peasants  or 
the  hoyarinias  of  old  times  does  not  take  place  among  the 
nobles  of  the  present  day;  but  a  married  lady,  however 
young,  begins  to  wear  caps  and  head-dresses  from  the  day  of 


Marriage 


195 


her  wedding;  and  though  she  generally  goes  bareheaded  at 
home  and  in  a  usual  way,  it  would  be  considered  strange  were 
she  to  appear  at  ball,  dinner,  or  theatre,  in  fact  anywhere  where 
she  is  so-called  dressed,  without  something  like  a  cap  on ;  and 
even  if  she  wears  a  wreath,  the  smallest  scrap  of  blonde  or 
lappet  is  added  to  show  the  dignity  of  the  wearer. 

By  five  o'clock  all  had  arrived,  and  the  junior  doctor's  box 
of  caramel  was  fast  emptying,  when  Katinka  Berezoff,  the 
most  experienced  of  all  the  dressers, — for  she  had  decked  no 
less  than  seven  brides, — took  upon  herself  to  begin  the 
business  by  combing  out  Liza's  hair,  and  each  of  the  girls 
passed  the  comb  through  her  long  tresses ;  Olinka,  and  even 
little  Varinka,  aged  eighteen  months,  made  believe  to  do  the 
same ;  Anna  Martinovna,  with  floods  of  noisy  but  sincere 
tears,  entangled  the  partings.  Pardsha  and  the  nurse  and 
workwomen  sang  part  of  the  wedding  song  in  the  door- 
way:— 

*'  Ah,  my  braid,  my  braid  of  maiden  hair, 
Ah,  soon  shall  it  be  divided  into  two,"  &c. 

Then  Katinka  solemnly  set  to  work  and  dressed  Liza's  hair  in 
a  masterly  manner ;  she  was  dressed,  I  should  observe,  in  a 
garment  half  peignoir,  half  morning-gown,  made  of  white 
brilliantine,  trimmed  with  handsome  embroidery  and  braiding. 
I  leave  it  to  my  readers  to  imagine  the  chattering,  laughter, 
and  noise  that  was  going  on  all  the  time,  the  impossibility  of 
deciding  how  the  "  front"  hair  was  to  be  arranged  when  there 
were  so  many  opinions,  and  each  opinion  so  very  decided  and 
obstinate.  Bandeaux,  \  la  Pompadour,  k  I'Eug^nie,  k  I'lmpdra- 
trice  were  proposed ;  and  at  one  time  Katinka  sat  down,  and 
said,  "  Until  you  have  decided,  mesdames,  I  may  as  well  rest," 


196 


Mkrriage 


which  had  the  effect  of  their  leaving  it  to  her  taste  entirely, 
so  she  did  it  k  I'Eug^nie,  because  she  was  the  most  accustomed 
to  it.     Then  they  screwed  Liza  into  a  pair  of  white  satin  stays. 
All  her  Hnen  and  things  were   trimmed  with  lace  and  pink 
ribbons.     Anatoly,  who  had  arrived,  put  on  one  satin  boot  for 
her,  with  a  ten-kopeck  piece  in  it  (from  the  depths  of  his 
treasury,  he  said) ;  the  other  was  put  on  by  little  Yashinka^ 
Koupeeff,  her  boyarin,  with  a  gold  piece.  Polixena  Matv^evna 
as  a  "happy  wife"  put  the  new  earrings  into  her  ear  with  a 
whispered  prayer.     Good  old  Mrs.  Stepanoff,  who  had  always 
been  fond  of  Liza  from  the  time  they  met  at  Moscow,  some 
fourteen  years  before,  and  who  was  now  too  infirm  to  leave  the 
house,  sent  a  tiny  bag  through  Anna  Martinovna,  which  that 
affectionate   and  zealous   lady  secreted  in   Liza's   petticoats 
unknown  to  all.     It  contained  a  scrap  of  black  bread,  a  pinch 
of  salt,  a  morsel  of  yellow  soap,  a  silver  five-kopeck  piece, 
and  a  prayer,  written,  printing-hand,  in  Sclavonic.     This  is  a 
sort  of  talisman,  supposed  to  attract  the  blessing  of  Heaven, 
plenty,  and  riches,  believed  in  strictly  by  the  auld-world  and 
the  peasants,  but  repudiated  and  laughed  at  by  the  so-called 
educated.     Olinka,  meantime,  distributed  the  "  maiden  beauty," 
while  the  servants — much  to  the  annoyance  of  Polixena  Mat- 
vdevna,  but  by  the  secret  instigation  of  the  doctor,  who  adored 
every  nationality — sang  a  noisy  chorus  to  the  effect  that  the 
bride  must  part  with  her  virgin  loveliness  in  like  manner.     The 
young  ladies  formed  bows  of  their  ribbons,  and  pinned  them  to 
their  dresses.     They  were  all,  with  one  or  two  exceptions,  in 
white ',  not  strictly  ball-dresses,  but  what  would  be  worn  at  a 
small  evening  party  in  England. 

Perfumes,  pomades,  and  toilet  requisites  of  all  sorts  had 

*  Jemmy. 


Marriage 


197 


been    sent   for   the   use   of  the   bride   and   bridesmaids  by 
Leonoff. 

When  completely  dressed,  the  bride  and  her  attendants 
adjourned  to  the  drawing-room,  becoming  very  quiet  and 
silent  all  on  a  sudden.  The  little  table  before  the  sofa  was 
covered  with  a  white  cloth,  and  loaded  with  glass  dishes  and 
vases  of  preserves,  dried  fruits,  sweetmeats,  &c.  Polixena 
Matv^evna  has  dressed  herself,  too,  in  a  new  silk— a  new  dress 
being  indispensable  if  one  is  about  to  bless  anybody— the 
doctor  in  full  uniform  as  a  civil  physician. 

The  lady  of  honour  arrives.  She  is  the  police-master's  wife, 
the  beauty  of  G ,  and  is  dressed  in  a  lovely  pink  moire- 
antique  dress  and  a  little  white  lace  pardessus,  a  tiny  thing  on 
her  head  made  of  flowers  and  blonde,  and  called  a  cap.  Tea 
is  handed,  and  the  sweetmeats  on  the  table  partaken  of. 

In  the  meantime,  festivities  of  rather  a  noisy  description 
have  been  going  on  at  the  bridegroom's  lodgings.  He,  how- 
ever, has  managed  to  keep  sober ;  and  let  it  not  be  supposed 
his  guests  are  actually  tipsy,  but  they  are  all  in  tremendous 
spirits,  and  ready  for  all  sorts  of  frolic.  They  have  dined 
with  him,  after  accompanying  him  to  the  vapour-bath,  where, 
having  gone  through  the  process  of  steaming  and  thrashing, 
just  for  the  fun  of  the  thing,  he  partook  of  champagne  instead 
of  kvass  to  refresh  him,  and  of  course  his  companions  re- 
freshed themselves  likewise.  At  half-past  six  Gregory  Gre- 
gori^vitch,  his  immediate  chief,  whom  he  had  asked  to  be  his 
father,  as  well  as  Tysatsky,  on  the  occasion,  and  his  pretty 
wife,  who  was  to  be  lady  of  honour,  arrived  in  their  handsome 
carriage.  G.  G.,  with  all  his  orders  and  medals  on,  and  his  hair 
pasted  down  on  his  baldness  by  means  of  Philocome,^  looked 

^  A  kind  of  bandoline. 


igS 


Marriage 


very  imposing.  His  wife  was  arrayed,  notwithstanding  the  sea- 
son and  the  hot  weather,  in  a  splendid  velvet  dress;  and  very 
handsome  she  looked,  with  her  brilliant  black  eyes  and  enor- 
mous diamonds,  but  was  as  silent  as  a  fish,  as  they  say  in  Russ, 
and  sat  smiling,  in  a  position  like  a  beautifiil  gravure  de  modes. 

Gregory  Gregorievitch's  smart  lacquey  carried  a  large  bundle 
wrapped  in  the  softest,  silkiest  napkin  ;  it  contained  a  rich 
cake  on  a  silver  waiter,  which,  with  the  massive  salt-cellar, 
was  fit  to  be  presented  to  the  Emperor  himself,  with  bread  and 
salt;    Gregory  Gregorievitch  liked  to  do  things  handsomely, 

and  he  sent  a  clerk  with  post-horses  to  D ,  on  purpose 

for  them,  and  for  the  most  magnificent  picture  of  the  Saviour 
that  he  could  find  there,  which  was  now  carried  by  the 
boyarin.  Leonoff  had  chosen  a  smart  little  gymnasist,  who, 
with  his  hair  curled,  and  in  his  neat  uniform  and  white  gloves, 
with  a  sprig  of  orange-blossom  on  his  breast,  played  his  part 
with  the  gravity  and  self-possession  peculiar  to  Russian  boys. 
(I  must  remark  here,  that  a  rude  school-boy  is  a  being  next 
to  unknown  in  Russia ;  the  boys  are  decidedly  gentlemanly.) 
Tea,  of  course,  is  handed. 

The  schafers  having  announced  that  all  is  ready  at  church, 
and  that  it  is  time  to  set  off",  the  father  and  mother  take  their 
places  before  the  picture  in  the  corner,  and  after  a  short  prayer 
said  to  themselves,  the  father  takes  the  picture  prepared  for 
the  purpose,  and  waves  it  crosswise  over  the  bridegroom's 
head  three  times  (he  kneeling  with  bowed  head),  and  presents 
it  to  him  to  kiss.  He  then  gives  it  to  the  mother,  who  does 
the  same.  Then,  taking  the  loaf,  he  waves  it  in  a  similar 
manner,  with   the   salt-cellar    on    it,^  but  it  is  not  kissed. 

1  It  is  considered  a  bad  omen  if  the  salt-cellar  falls  to  the  ground  at  this 
ceremony. 


Marriage 


199 


Nothing  is  said  during  this  brief  ceremony  but  the  words,  "  In 
the* Name  of  the  Father,"  &c.  The  son  kisses  his  parents' 
(real  or  invited)  hands,  they  embrace  him,  and  he  immediately 
sets  out  for  church  with  his  lady  of  honour,  the  schafers  pre- 
ceding him,  and  the  boyarin,  bareheaded,  going  first  of  all, 
with  the  picture  in  his  hands. 

As  soon  as  the  bridegroom,  with  his  attendants,  (the  Tysat- 
sky  being  one  of  them),  has  been  left  at  church,  the  bride's 
schafers,  who  have  been  at  either  house  alternately  since 
morning,  what  with  one  thing  and  another,  proceed  to  in- 
form the  bride's  party  that  he  is  waiting  for  her.  The  same 
ceremony  is  performed  with  the  picture  and  loaf  that  the 
Priest  blessed  in  the  morning  -^  the  schafers  raise  the  w^eeping 
bride  from  her  knees,  and  she  takes  a  solemn  farewell  of  her 
parents,  relations,  young  friends,  and  all  who  are  in  the  house. 
This  is  a  most  affecting  moment  for  all  parties,  and  is  par- 
ticularly trying  to  the  parents,  who,  as  at  baptism,  are  never 
present  at  the  marriage  ceremony,  and  who  remain  motionless 
in  the  corner,  praying  for  the  young  couple,  until  one  of  the 
schafers  arrives  to  tell  them  that  the  crowns  are  taken  off. 
The  bridegroom's  parents  observe  the  same  custom.  2 

Leaning  on  the  arm  of  her  lady  of  honour,  the  bride  is 
conducted  to  the  carriage  by  her  schafers,  who  perform  the 
part  of  pages  for  her ;  and  having  slammed  the  carriage-door 
to,  they  leap  into  the  equipage  placed  at  their  disposal,  and 
tear  off  to  church  again  (at  any  rate  one  of  them  does,  if  the 


^  In  some  families  these  loaves  are  taken  to  church  to  be  blessed,  with 
the  pictures.  Frequently  they  are  made  of  rye-flour,  that  being  the  staple 
nourishment  of  the  Russian,  in  preference  to  wheat-flour. 

2  To  prevent  misunderstanding,  be  it  borne  in  mind  that  the  persons  who 
blessed  Leonoff  were  not  hisreal  parents,  and  that  they  fulfilled  a  double  office. 


200 


Marriage 


Marriage 


20I 


Other  has  a  bridesmaid  to  escort),  in  order  to  inform  the  bride- 
groom that  the  bride  is  coming,  that  he  may  have  time  to 
meet  her  in  the  porch.  The  bride's  boyarin  frequently  accom- 
panies her  in  the  same  carriage,  his  head  ahvays  bare,  and  his 
face  turned  the  way  they  are  going.  Little  Yashinka,  though 
only  six  years  old,  behaved  with  perfect  propriety. 

The  young  pair,  followed  by  the  attendants,  but  preceded 
by  the  Boyarin,  in  a  scarlet  silk  shirt  and  black  velvet  full 
trousers  and  high  boots,  strutting  bravely,  his  cheeks  flushed 
with  the  exertion  of  carrying  the  heavy  picture,  proceed,  hand 
in  hand,  to  the  body  of  the  church,  where  a  carpet  is  laid 
down,  and  a  naloy,  with  the  Cross  and  Gospels  on  it,  placed 
thereon.  The  candelabra  is  immediately  over  the  naloy,  and, 
be  it  broad  daylight  or  pitch-dark,  it  is  always  lighted.  Here 
the  bridegroom,  his  lady  of  honour  and  schafers,  awaited  the 
arrival  of  the  bride,  while  the  choir  sings  a  long  sort  of  anthem, 
which  is  called  a  concert,  and  which  is  not  particularly  striking 
as  far  as  melody  goes,  while  the  words  are  completely  unheard. 
This  space  of  time,  which  lasts  ten  minutes  or  more,  accord- 
ing to  the  distance  of  the  house  from  the  church,  is  a  great 
trial  to  the  young  man,  who  stands  the  gazing-stock  of  some 
three  or  four  hundred  pairs  of  eyes,  all  eager  and  curious  to 
see  as  much  as  can  be  seen  (for  a  noble  wedding  in  the 
interior  always  attracts  the  lower  orders,  not  to  speak  of  the 
acquaintance).  Nor  is  the  position  of  the  lady  of  honour 
agreeable ;  she  feels  that  her  toilet  is  being  criticised,  priced, 
and  torn  in  pieces  by  the  lady-spectators, — fancies  her  hair 
is  untidy,  her  cap  one  side,  or  something  of  the  sort.  The 
ladies  of  honour,  I  should  observe,  have  nothing  to  do  but 
to  stand  by  the  side  of  their  respective  charges  during  the 
service,  and  tell  them  what  to  do  if  they  do  not  know. 


On  the  arrival  of  the  bride  the  choir  sings  a  cheerful  mea- 
sure, the  royal  gates  open,  the  young  pair  prostrate  themselves 
three  times,  and  they  and  the  whole  wedding-party  cross 
themselves,  while  the  Priest  in  his  full  canonicals  appears,  and, 
approaching  the  affianced  pair,  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross 
over  their  heads,  while  they  reverently  bend.  Two  wax 
candles,!  ornamented  with  flowers  and  ribbons,  which  the 
schafers  have  brought  and  placed  on  the  naloy,  are  lighted, 
and  placed  by  the  Priest  in  their  hands.^  The  incense  is  then 
waved,  and  the  service  of  betrothal  commences. 

It  opens  with  the  usual  beautiful  Litany,  followed  by  two 
short  prayers,  and  then  the  Priest  goes  into  the  altar,  and 
brings  from  thence  two  plain  thick  gold  rings  which  have  been 
worn  during  the  engagement,  and  which,  having  been  given  to 
the  Priest  at  the  commencement  of  the  service,  have  lain  on 
the  throne  during  the  Litany  and  prayers.  The  Priest  takes 
one  in  his  right  hand  and  makes  the  sign  of  the  cross  over  the 
bridegroom's  head  with  it,  saying  these  words  : 

"  The  servant  of  God,  Constantine,  betroths  himself  to  the 
servant  of  God,  Elizavetta,  in  the  Name,"  &c. 

The  ring  is  then  given  to  the  bridegroom. 

The  same  words  are  made  use  of  when  he  signs  the  bride, 
with  the  alteration  of  names.  The  second  ring  being  left  in 
her  hand,  the  two  exchange  rings  three  times.  This  signifies 
that  their  future  joys,  cares,  intentions,  and  actions  should  be 
mutual  and  in  good   agreement.^      Sometimes  they  are   ex- 

1  It  is  the  custom  to  observe  which  candle  is  the  longest  on  its  being 
extinguished  ;  the  one  whose  candle  is  shorter  than  the  other  will  die  first. 

2  In  allusion  to  the  lamps  with  which  the  virgins  met  the  bridegroom 
<St.  Matthew  xxv.).  At  second  marriages  candles  should  not  be  given, 
but  this  rule  is  seldom  observed.  3  Bishop  Benjamin. 


\%  t 


;>giirja»^ ;  ,^£nt^   mj 


202 


Marriage 


Marriage 


203 


changed  by  a  third  person,  as  for  instance  at  Imperial  wed- 
dings ;  but  this  is  not  a  general  custom. 

A  prayer  follows  to  Almighty  God  for  His  blessing  on  the 
betrothal,  the  Litany  for  the  Imperial  Family,  for  the  betrothed, 
and  the  blessing.  Now  comes  the  Sacrament  of  Marriage, 
called  in  the  Sclavonic  "  Crowning." 

The  bride's  schafer  comes  forward,  and  lays  before  the  pair 
a  large  pink  silk  handkerchief,  and  the  Priest,  by  a  gesture, 
invites  them  to  approach  nearer  to  the  naloy,  so  that  they 
have  to  stand  on  the  handkerchief.  It  is  a  popular  super- 
stition, which  however  nobody  confesses  to  believing,  that  the 
one  who  steps  first  on  this  handkerchief  will  be  head  in  the 
house.  The  Priest  now  chants  Psalm  cxxviii.,  "  Blessed  is 
every  one  that  feareth  the  Lord,"  between  each  verse  the  choir 
singing,  "  Glory  be  to  Thee,  O  Lord  :  glory  to  Thee." 

The  Priest  then  asks  them  if  they  are  willing  to  take  each 
other  for  husband  and  wife,  as  in  the  English  ritual,  with 
the  addition  of  a  question  which  may  sometimes  be  rather 
awkward  to  answer,—"  Have  you  ever  promised  yourself  to 
another?"  to  which  the  ritual  indicates  the  answer  which  is 
supposed  will  be  made,  "  I  have  not  promised  myself,  honour- 
able Father." 

The  Litany  follows  again,  and  then  three  rather  long 
prayers,  consisting  of  supplications  for  the  spiritual  and  tem- 
poral welfare,  health,  happiness,  conjugal  harmony,  and  ulti- 
mate salvation  of  the  betrothed  persons;  and  immediately 
afterwards  the  Reader  appears  with  a  salver,  on  which  lie  two 
gaudy  crowns  of  plated  silver,  ornamented  with  little  medal- 
lions of  our  Saviour,  the  Virgin,  &c.  One  of  these  the  Priest 
takes  carefully  in  his  hands,  and  making  the  sign  of  the 
cross  with  the  crown  over  the  head  of  the  bridegroom,  says, 


» 


loud  enough  for  the  whole  church  to  hear,  "  The  servant  of 
God,  Constantine,  is  crowned  with  the  handmaid  of  God, 
Elizavetta,  in  the  Name,"  &c.,  holds  the  medallion  of  our  Lord 
to  his  lips  to  be  kissed,  and  places  the  crown  on  his  head ;  it 
is  not,  however,  always  left  there  ;  frequently  the  schafer  holds 
it  at  a  few  inches  higher  than  the  head  of  the  bridegroom, 
from  behind,  as  these  crowns  are  very  large  and  heavy,  and 
when  the  parties  bow  there  is  danger  of  their  falling  off,  or  at 
any  rate  dropping  over  the  eyes.  The  strictly  orthodox  prefer 
wearing  the  crown  on  their  heads,  ^  and  the  common  people 
always  do  so  :  to  prevent  its  shaking  at  every  movement  a 
handkerchief  is  stuffed  in  at  the  back  between  the  bridegroom's 
head  and  the  crown;  the  bride's  wreath,  veil,  and  coiffure, 
generally  render  this  unnecessary  for  her. 

The  same  words  are  pronounced  over  the  bride,  with  the 
change  of  names.  The  Priest  then  solemnly  pronounces  the 
following  words  three  times,  each  time  signing  the  cross 
before  them,  they  answering  by  low  bows,  "  O  Lord  our  God, 
crown  them  with  glory  and  honour  !" 

Then  the  Reader  intones,  in  a  deep  voice,  the  latter  part  of 
the  fifth  chapter  of  the  Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  from  the 
twentieth  verse,  gradually  raising  it  in  a  chromatic  scale  towards 

^  Nothing  can  be  prettier  than  the  wedding  of  a  candidate  for  holy 
orders,  if  he  be  already  a  consecrated  Reader.  In  the  first  place  all  the 
clergy  present  as  guests  or  assistants  stand  in  a  row  behind  the  pair,  in 
their  canonicals,  and  with  lighted  tapers  in  their  hands.  The  bridegroom, 
in  his  alb  of  gold  and  silken  brocade,  the  crown  on  his  head,  from  beneath 
which  flows  his  long,  wavy  hair,  and  the  almost  invariably  very  youthful 
bride  in  her  white  dress,  and  long  veil  hanging  from  beneath  the  crown, 
remind  one  of  the  old  Tzars  and  their  meek  Tzaritas,  and  the  whole 
ceremony  partakes  of  a  character  peculiarly  Russian,  which  the  European 
costume  of  most  bridegrooms  renders  imperfect  in  other  cases. 


204  Marriage 

the  last  verse,  which  he  reads  very  loud—"  Let  the  wife  see 
that  she  reverence  her  husband."  This  is  followed  by  the 
Priest's  reading  the  Marriage  of  Cana  from  the  second  chapter 
of  St.  John's  Gospel ;  and  when  the  Testament  is  unclasped 
for  him  to  read  from,  the  bride's  schafer  again  comes  forward 
and  places  on  the  page  a  ribbon  as  a  marker.  This,  as  well  as 
the  handkerchief  on  which  they  stand,  remains  as  a  perquisite 

to  the  clergy. 

After  some  more  prayers  and  short  Litanies,  a  small  sort  of 
silver  ladle,  called  the  Common  Cup,  with  a  very  short  handle, 
is  brought  on  the  salver  by  the  Reader.     It  contains  wine 
mingled  with  water  ;i  and  the  Priest,  having  blessed  it,  holds  it 
to  the  lips  of  the  pair,  who  sip  it  alternately  each  three  times. 
This  is  in  allusion  to  the  Marriage  of  Cana,  reference  to  which 
is  made  in  the  prayers  preceding,  as  well  as  by  the  Gospel, 
and  as  a  type  that  the  husband  and  wife  must  share  everything 
in  joy  or  grief.     It  is  also  in  remembrance  of  the  custom  of 
the  primitive  Church  for  newly-married  persons  to  partake  of 
the  Holy  Communion  on  their  nuptial  day,  further  allusion  to 
which  is  made  by  the  choir   singing   the  Lord's  Prayer,  as 
during  the  Liturgy,  immediately  before  the  partaking  of  the 

Common  Cup.^ 

Now  the  Priest,  in  sign  of  the  indissolubility  of  their  union, 
joins  their  hands  beneath  his  stole,  and  followed  by  them, 
still  hand  in  hand,  walks  slowly  round  the  naloy  three  times, 
while  the  choir  sings.  This  circle  is  a  symbol  of  the  eternity 
of  their  union,  says  Bishop  Benjamin ;  it  is  also  a  procession 
expressive  of  their  joy.     It  is  to  be  remarked  that  the  cere- 

1  It  is  popularly  called  Union,  on  account  of  its  typifying  the  union  of 
husband  and  wife  by  the  mbcture  of  water  and  wine. 

2  Michailoffsky. 


Marriage 


205 


mony  can  be  lawfully  interrupted  until  this  procession  takes 
place,  but  after  it  the  betrothed  are  really  man  and  wife. 

These  words  are  then  addressed  to  the  newly-married  man, 
"  Be  thou  exalted,  O  bridegroom,  like  unto  Abraham,  and 
blessed  like  unto  Isaac,  and  multiplied  like  unto  Jacob.  AValk 
in  peace,  and  do  rightly  according  to  the  commandments  of 
God."  Having  removed  the  crown  and  placed  it  on  the 
salver  again,  he  turns  to  the  bride  and  says :  "  And  thou,  O 
bride,  be  thou  exalted  like  unto  Sarah,  and  rejoice  like  unto 
Rebecca,  and  multiply  like  unto  Rachel.  Rejoice  with  thy 
husband,  and  keep  the  ways  of  the  Law,  as  is  well  pleasing  to 
God." 

A  short  prayer,  as  follows,  is  then  read  : — 

"O  God,  pur  God,  who  earnest  to  Cana  of  Galilee  and 
blessed  the  marriage  there,  bless  these  Thy  servants,  who  have 
now  united  themselves  in  holy  matrimony  according  to  Thine 
ordinance.  Bless  Thou  their  goings  out  and  their  comings  in, 
prolong  their  days  in  goodness,  record  their  union  in  Thy  king- 
dom, that  it  may  remain  pure,  undefiled,  and  unslandered  for 
ever  and  ever.     Amen." 

The  husband  and  wife  are  then  desired  to  kiss  each  other 
three  times,  and  the  usual  benediction  concludes  the  office; 
but  it  is  followed  immediately  by  a  tiny  service  of  only  a  page 
in  length.  It  is  called  the  "  Removal  of  the  Crowns,"  and  has 
the  following  history.  In  ancient  times  it  was  the  custom  for 
the  newly-married  pair  to  wear  the  crowns  for  a  week  after 
their  wedding,  and  having  finished  all  the  feastings  and  re- 
joicings attendant  on  it,  to  appear  before  the  Priest  in  order 
to  have  them  removed,  and  to  receive  his  blessing  on  their 
entering  the  routine  of  every-day  life. 

Immediately  after  the  conclusion  of  the  whole  service  the 


206 


Marriage 


Marriage 


207 


wedding-party  and  all  the  friends  and  acquaintances  who  may 
be  among  the  spectators  congratulate  the  newly-married  couple, 
kissing  cheeks  or  hands  as  the  case  may  be,  and  offering  good 

wishes. 

They  then  go  to  kiss  the  pictures  with  which  the  altar- 
screen  is  adorned,  the  schafers  attending,  in  order  to  assist 
the  bride  to  rise  after  her  prostrations.  A  moleben  follows ; 
but  it  is  frequently  performed  at  home  immediately  on  the 
return  of  the  wedding-party  from  church,  when  the  ceremony 
of  benediction  by  the  parents  is  again  gone  through.  They 
are  then  seated  on  the  sofa  side  by  side,  and  champagne 
being  handed  in  abundance  by  the  schafers,^  congratulations 

<P' 

recommence. 

As  Leonoffs  apartments  were  very  small,  there  was  no 
dancing,  and  the  only  guests  were  the  actors  in  the  ceremony 
and  a  few  very  intimate  friends.  During  the  evening,  which 
passed  very  merrily  notwithstanding,  Gregory  Gregorievitch, 

who  was  a  great  lover  of  music,  and  who  had  sent  to  D • 

for  a  band  of  musicians  for  the  ball  he  intended  to  give  in 
honour  of  his  "son's"  marriage,  contrived  to  have  them  placed 
under  the  windows  in  the  deaf  widow's  kitchen-garden,  where 
they  played  various  overtures  and  concertos,  to  the  great  de- 
light of  the  hearers. 

The  next  day  Liza  donned  her  cap  for  the  first  time,  and 
looked  very  pretty  in  it,  and  her  white  muslin  morning-dress 
with  its  pink  ribbons.  This  costume  is  as  strictly  observed  the 
first  few  days  after  the  wedding  as  a  white  dress  and  veil  are 
for  the  marriage  ceremony. 

Then  came  the  first  grand  dinner  at  the  Leonoffs'.     The 

1  In  wealthy  families  a  supply  of  white  kid  gloves  is  prepared  in  place  of 
those  the  schafers  may  spoil  in  handing  the  champagne. 


papas  and  mammas,  real  and  unreal,  all  the  relatives,  the 
ladies  of  honour,  tysatsky,  and  schafers  are  invited,  and  all  the 
bride's  riches  in  the  shape  of  table-linen,  plate,  glass,  and  china 
are  displayed  to  the  best  advantage.  In  a  few  days  they  make 
their  visits  to  their  acquaintance,  Leonoff  in  full  uniform,  and 
Liza  in  a  handsome  blue  silk  dress,  white  shawl,  and  elegant 
light  bonnet,  with  the  inevitable  feathers",  permitted  only  to 
married  ladies  (on  bonnets),  according  to  the  Russian  laws  of 
fashion  in  the  interior.  The  same  evening  Dr.  Koupeeff,  who 
was  perfectly  in  his  element,  and  enjoyed  the  whole  affair  as 
only  a  Russian  can,  gave  his  ball,  followed  by  a  very  grand 
affair  at  Gregory  Gregorievitch's ;  two  days  after  which  the 
young  pair  left  G for  their  future  home. 

Tinkle,  tinkle,  go  the  horse-bells,  as  they  approach  their 
village,  through  field,  forest,  and  meadow,  and  forest  again. 
They  are  chatting  happily  together,  when  crooked -nosed 
Dmitry  suddenly  shouts  from  the  coach-box,  "  Your  nobility  ! 
Barinia  Sudarinia !  Glory  to  God,  there 's  our  church !  we 
shall  soon  be  at  home ! 

Both  endeavoured  to  raise  themselves  from  their  half-recum- 
bent position,  and  to  look  out  at  the  sides  of  the  tarantass :  in 
the  distance,  from  among  trees,  hay-stacks,  and  fields  of  rye 
and  corn,  lay  a  little  village,  with  a  green-roofed  church  in 
the  midst  Kostia  and  Liza,  at  the  sight  of  the  cross  on  its 
summit,  silently  crossed  themselves,  but  not  without  an  un- 
uttered  though  heartfelt  prayer. 

Several  civil  laws  exist  in  Russia  respecting  marriage  which 
one  cannot  but  approve ;  such,  for  instance,  as  the  measures 
taken  for  the  rendering  bigamy  next  to  impossible.  Officers  of 
the  civil  as  well  as  military  service,  soldiers,  sailors,  and  all 


I  ' 


208  Marriage 

other  persons  in  the  employ  of  Government  are  obliged  to  ask 
permission  of  their  commanding  officer,  which  .  certffied  m 
writing,  and  without  which  no  Priest  dares  perform  the  mar- 
11  ceremony.     The  fact  and  date  of  the  mamage,  toge  her 
ZS.  the  full  name  of  the  wife,  are  inserted  in  the  formulary 
list  of  service,  and  wherever  that  officer  or  servant  of  the 
Crown  goes,  even  should  he  be  retired  from  the  service,  the 
formulary  goes  with  him,  an  everlasting  certificate  that  he  is  a 
n^'ied  man.^     Should  he  become  a  widower,  the  date  oh. 
wife's  death  is  inserted,  as  well  as  those  of  the  births  of  their 

'^xte^^^^^  of  merchants,  &c.  &c:,  serve  as  formularies 

for  them,  and  the  fact  of  their  being  married  or  sing  e  is 
added ;  which  is  especially  necessary  if  they  are  m  the  habit 
of  going  to  distant  places,  either  with  or  without  the  intention 

""^rreen'for  the  bridegroom  and  sixteen  for  the  bride  are 
considered  years  of  discretion;  younger  than  that  they  cannot 
marry ;  nor  can  men  past  eighty  nor  women  past  sixty. 

i^rsons  who  have  not  attained  civil  majority  (twenty-one 
years)  cannot  marry  without  the  consent  of  their  parents  or 

^A^^fourlh  marriage  cannot  take  place,  and  a  third  is  con- 
sidered  rather  improper,  and  demands  a  penance  of  five 
years  exclusion  from  Holy  Communion.  A  second  mamage 
demands  a  penance  of  two  years. 

The  degrees  of  affinity  are  divided  into  blood  relationship 
and  spiritual  kindred.  The  former  is  far  more  strict  than  that 
of  the  English  Prayer-book :  cousins  of  every  denomination, 
be  they  so-called  Scotch  cousins,  cannot  marry;  connexion- 

1  Michailofrsky. 


Marriage 


209 


ship  is  called  kindred;  and  even  the  intermarriages  of  four 
members  of  two  families,  as  yet  unconnected,  require  the 
sanction  of  the  Archbishop.  I  may  bring  forward  two  instances 
of  the  kind  which,  having  occurred  within  my  own  experience, 
I  can  vouch  are  no  inventions. 

Mary  and  Elena  G were  first  cousins.     Elena  was  an 

orphan,   and   lived   with   her  paternal  uncle,   Mary's  father. 

Mary  became  engaged  to  Lieutenant  O ,  and  his  elder 

brother,  during  the  engagement,  had  time  enough  to  fall  so 
seriously  in  love  with  Ellen  (and  she  with  him)  that  it  became 
a  question  of  honour  whether  to  retreat  altogether,  and  thus 
ruin  the  happiness  of  both,  or  to  ask  the  blessing  of  the 
Bishop.     Of  course  the  latter  was  decided  on  by  the  lovers ; 

but  when  Captain  O made  his  formal  offer,  they  found  an 

impediment  in  old  G ,  who  did  not  Hke  the  idea  of  the 

youthful  Elena  becoming,  not  only  the  wife  of  the  eldet 
brother,  but  of  the  superior  officer  of  his  daughter's  betrothed, 
and  was  obstinate  accordingly.  After  much  trouble,  however, 
the  blessing  was  given,  and  the  marriage  proved  a  very  happy 
one. 

The  other  was  a  more  intricate  affair,  and  included  two 
impediments;  the  first  being  that  the  bride,  a  respectable  lady 
of  thirty-six,  was  the  widow  of  a  Priest,  and  although  no  law 
exists  that  a  second  marriage  cannot  be  entered  on  by  a 
Priest's  or  Deacon's  widow,  it  is  not  approved  of,  not  con- 
sidered "the  thing"  by  the  clergy  in  general.'  But  the  lady 
in  question  was  an  excellent  housekeeper,  and  just  the  very 
match  for  the  suitor,  a  widower  with  two  children ;  they  liked 
each  other,  and  both  were  tired  of  being  lonely.  Theii? 
connexionship  stood  thus. 

Eugenia  and  Olga  B were  sisters.    Eugenia  married 

0 


2IO 


Marriage 


Mr.  A ,  and  died  after  the  birth  of  her  second  child. 

Olga,  many  years  after,  married  Mr.  C ,  whose  sister  was 

already  a  widow.  It  came  into  her  head  to  unite  her  widowed 
brother-in-law  with  her  husband's  sister,  principally  for  the 
sake  of  her  little  nieces ;  but  the  trouble  it  gave  her,  and  the 
noise  that  the  affair  raised  in  the  family,  among  the  clergy, 
and  in  the  Consistory,  was  something  remarkable.  After  an 
infinity  of  difficulties,  however,  real  and  imaginary,  the  per- 
mission came,  and  the  marriage  took  place. 

By  spiritual  kindred  is  meant  the  relations  that  exist  between 
sponsors  and  their  god-children,  or  the  parents  of  the  latter. 
A  child's  godfather  cannot  marry  her  or  her  mother,  should 
she  become  a  widow;  and  the  sponsors  cannot  marry  each 
other.  For  this  reason  the  intelligent  parents  of  an  infant  are 
careful  to  select  such  persons  to  answer  for  it  as  are  not  likely 
to  take  a  fancy  to  each  other. 

An  orthodox  Russian  cannot  marry  an  unbaptized  person ; 
marriages  with  foreigners  or  persons  of  other  forms  of  Christian 
religion  are  lawful,  but  the  unorthodox  party  binds  himself, 
or  herself,  by  writing,  not  to  make  objections  to  the  baptism 
of  their  children  in  the  Greco-Russian  faith. 

Whatever  may  be  the  sect  to  which  bride  or  bridegroom 
belong,  the  wedding  cannot  take  place  unless  the  parties  have 
confessed  and  communicated  during  the  past  year. 

When  all  formalities  have  been  duly  observed,  and  all 
needful  inquiries  made,  the  Priest  feels  at  liberty  to  publish 
the  banns,  which  must  be  called  the  three  Sundays  or 
holidays  previous  to  the  wedding-day.  The  whole  affair  is 
then  written  in  a  book,  which  the  bridegroom  and  bride, 
and  their  witness  or  witnesses,  sign  before  the  ceremony  takes 
place. 


Marriage 


211 


A  marriage  celebrated  in  secret  and  without  witnesses  is 
null  and  void. 

There  are  times  of  the  year  and  days  in  the  week  when 
weddings  cannot  take  place.  These  are  Tuesdays,  and  Thurs- 
days, and  Saturdays^  throughout  the  year,  and  during  the  fasts. 
(See  end  of  Communion  and  Confession.) 

Should  several  couples  appear  at  one  time  to  be  married, 
each  service  must  be  read  separately ;  and  if  there  are  twenty 
couples,  the  service  must  be  performed  twenty  times  ! 

^  As  being  the  eves  of  Wednesday  and  Friday,  the  days  on  which  our 
Lord  was  sold  and  cnicified  ;  and  Saturday  as  being  the  eve  of  Sunday. 


EXTREME    UNCTION, 

FUNERAL  SERVICES,  AND  REQUIEMS. 

"  Q.  In  what  does  Extreme  Unction  consist? 

''A.  The  sick  person  is  anointed  with  oil,  and  healing  grace  is  prayed 
for  on  his  behalf"— S/iori  Catechism. 

THE  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction  is  administered  to 
adults  only  (that  is  to  say,  to  such  as  are  of  age  to 
confess),  to  the  dangerously  sick  who  are  in  full  possession  of 
their  senses,  who  are  admitted  subsequently  to  Communion 
of  the  Sick  and  its  indispensable  preparation  by  Confession. 
It  ought  to  be  performed  by  seven  Priests  (in  remembrance  of 
the  seven  Churches),  but  in  those  places  (which  are  of  course 
of  far  greater  number  in  Russia  than  large  towns)  where  there 
are  not  so  many  one   Priest  can  perform   it.     A  person  in 
sound  health  is  not  considered  eligible  to  it,  because  it  is 
instituted  for  the  sick;  whatever  mortal  danger  therefore  a 
person  may  be  about  to  be  exposed  to — battle,  infection,  &c. 
—he  cannot  prepare  himself  for  death  by  this  Sacrament  if  he 
be  in  good  health.     Insane  persons,  the  unconfessed  and  un- 
repentant, are  excluded  from  it.      Persons  of  other  religions 
may  be  anointed  with  Extreme  Unction  if  previously  confessed 
and  anointed  with  the  Seal  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  according  to 
the  Office  of  Conversion,    Sickness,  death,  and  grief,  although 


\ 


Extreme  Unction 


21 


the  same  in  themselves  everywhere,  take  different  forms  in 
different  countries.  Yes,  people  certainly  do  fall  ill,  take 
medicine,  and  die  (or  get  better  again,  as  it  happens)  quite 
differently  in  Russia  to  what  they  do  in  England.  There  is 
far  less  lying  in  bed,  infinitely  less  physicking  and  fussing ; 
but  there  is  much  more  groaning  and  despairing  on  the  part  of 
the  patient,  and  an  apparent  absence  of  very  great  solicitude 
on  that  of  the  friends,  which,  by  those  who  are  not  intimately 
acquainted  with  Russian  character,  might  be  mistaken  for 
indifference  :  it  is  founded,  however,  on  their  unbounded  trust 
in  the  Almighty,  and  a  sort  of  unbelief  in  doctors  in  general, 
which  may  be  detected  in  the  educated  as  well  as  in  the  lower 
classes.  It  is  seldom  that  a  peasant  or  workman  makes  up 
his  mind  to  seek  medical  aid  until  he  is  past,  or  next  to  past, 
cure,  when  the  timely  advice  of  a  physician  might  not  only 
have  saved  his  life,  but  also  much  suffering.  If,  however,  he 
decides  to  ask  advice,  and  receives  some  medicine  for  his 
complaint,  he  always  takes  it  with  the  utmost  reverence, 
crossing  himself  and  asking  God's  blessing  on  it.  A  Russian 
mother  or  nurse  never  administers  physic  to  a  child  or  patient 
without  murmuring,  "Lord,  bless!"  and  bidding  the  receiver 
cross  himself  The  lower  orders  have  not  an  idea  of  dieting, 
and  insist  much  on  the  sick  person  eating  that  which  his 
"heart"  exacts.  Indeed  the  nobles  seem  to  think  this  im- 
portant aid  to  recovery  rather  nonsense  and  "  invention,"  and 
submit  to  it  more  from  respect  to  the  doctor  than  from  convic- 
tion of  its  beneficial  influence. 

The  peasant  women  believe  firmly  in  their  baboushkas,^ 
and  follow  blindly  their  frequently  absurd  advice.  According 
to  their  opinion,  the  vapour-bath  is  the  prime  healer  of  all 

^  Wise  woman, — midwife. 


214 


Extreme  Unction 


diseases,  from  small-pox  to  a  simple  cold;  and  for  minor 
complaints,  such  as  loss  of  appetite,  lowness  of  spirits,  resdess- 
ness  in  infants,  &c.,  they  have  always  the  plea  of  bewitchment. 
To  do  away  the  effects  of  the  evil  eye,  in  which  they  are  firm 
believers  (I  speak  of  the  lower  order,  though  many  may  be 
found  among  the    nobles),  the   baboushka  takes  a  vessel  of 
tepid  water,  in  which  she  puts  a  cinder  or  two,  and  a  pinch  of 
salt.     If  the  cinders  hiss  very  much,  it  is  sign  the  first  that 
"  the  servant  of  God,  So-and-so,"  is  really  bewitched.     Having 
said  a  preparatory  prayer,  she  crosses  the  water,  and  begins  to 
whisper  another,  of  immense  length  and  extraordinary  mystery 
and  incomprehensibility  of  language,  holding  the  vessel  up  to 
her  chin.     The  wonder  is,  how  they  contrive  to  commit  such 
stuff  and  nonsense  to  memory ;  and,  as  they  are  almost  in- 
variably ''unlearned  and  ignorant"  women,  how  their  teachers 
have  the  patience  to  drum   it  into   their  heads.     In  a  few 
minutes  she  begins  to  yawn  to  a  degree  that  astonishes  and 
alarms  the  unaccustomed  beholder ;— sign  the  second  of  the 
presence  of  bewitchment.     When  at  last  the  prayer  is  finished, 
she  crosses  the  water  again,  and  taking  a  sip  of  it  in  her  mouth 
squirts  it  through  her  lips  into  the  face  of  the  patient  three 
times,  makes  him  drink  a  litde,  and  finally  washes  his  face 
and  head  (without  soap)  with  the  remainder.     Strange  as  it 
may  appear,  the  effect  of  this  operation,  particularly  on  little 
babies,  is  really  astonishing.     I  have  seen  infants  who  have 
cried,  or  been  sleepless  for  hours  without  any  apparent  reason, 
suddenly  become   quite   composed  after  the   squirting.      Of 
course  it  is  to  be  attributed  to   the  shock  occasioned,  and 
which,   I   suppose,   acts   in   some  way  on   the  nerves;   the 
Russians  believe  it  to  be  from  the  old  woman's  whisperings. 

Of  all  the  diseases  that  flesh  is  heir  to,  the  ague  seems  to 
present  to  the  Russian  baboushka  a  field  for  the  most  varied 


Extreme  Unction 


215 


and  singular  operations  in  the  healing  line  of  any  that  exist 
in  her  practice.  It  is  surrounded  by  superstitious  and  myste- 
rious convictions;  it  is  called  "the  neighbour"  (fern,  gen.),  "  the 
friend"  (fem.  gen.),  while  its  real  medical  name,  likhoradkay 
or  likhomatikay  signifies  spiteful  joy  or  spiteful  allurement,  as 
though  an  unseen  evil  spirit  took  a  spiteful  delight  in  torturing 
his  victim.  They  say  that  there  are  twelve  sisters  of  the  ague 
family,  each  one  more  obstinate  and  capricious  than  her  senior, 
so  that  the  youngest  is  the  worst  of  all.  This  is  but  a  fantastic 
form  of  expressing  the  various  ways  in  which  the  complaint 
attacks  different  persons.  There  is  a  belief,  too,  that  until  it  is 
frightened  away  it  will  continue  to  "  bother"  the  patient;  also, 
that  when  the  complaint  is  coming  to  a  favourable  crisis,  it 
appears  in  a  hideous  form  in  dreams.  This  is  probably  owing 
to  the  fact  that  horrible  dreams  certainly  do  trouble  the  ague 
patient  when  he  is  beginning  to  amend,  as  I  can  testify  by 
bitter  personal  experience;  and  such  is  the  derangement  of  the 
system,  that  it  frequently  happens  that  the  dream  continues  after 
the  sleeper  has  awakened,  especially  if  he  wakes  in  a  fright.  It 
is  not  to  be  wondered  at,  therefore,  if  the  horror-loving,  super- 
stitious peasant  relates  apparently  absurd  and  impossible  his- 
tories of  such  visions  having  appeared  to  him ;  of  his  struggles, 
battles,  and  victories  over  "  the  neighbour;"  and  of  her  being 
far  more  frightened  of  him  than  he  of  her,  in  the  end. 

Of  course  there  is  a  prayer  against  ague,  as  well  as  for  other 
complaints;  as  a  general  rule,  I  should  observe,  that  it  is 
the  speciality  of  one  or  two  baboushkas  in  particular,  who 
have  the  reputation  of  being  particularly  fortunate  in  relieving 
people  of  this  aggravating,  wearying,  mysterious  complaint. 
The  patient  is  generally  taken  to  the  bath,  where  the  prayings 
and  squirtings  are  performed ;  various  herbs  are  given  to  drink 
in  an  infused  state,  and  various  cautions  prescribed, — even  a 


II 


■  »l^jl|»'.     ■!     — 


2l6 


Extreme  Unctio7t 


diet  to  a  certain  degree  insisted  on  (strange  to  say,  for  once  in 
a  way,  it  agrees  entirely  with  that  of  the  doctor), — it  consists 
in  total  abstinence  from  milk,  eggs,  fish,  and  pork.  Besides 
this,  some  charm  or  another  (every  baboushka  having  her  own 
particular  one,  which  she  considers  infallible)  is  recommended 
as  indispensable.  Of  such,  the  following  are  a  few  of  the  most 
popular ;  they  are,  in  most  cases,  worn  round  the  neck  on  the 
same  silken  cord  that  the  cross  is  suspended  by,  and  are 
enclosed  in  a  little  bag,  or  simply  tied  up  in  a  rag : — 

1.  Incense,  or  rather  cinders  that  have  been  in  the  censer 
during  three  liturgies  for  the  repose  of  some  one's  soul. 

2.  A  curious  prickly  herb,  something  like  an  immortelle,  the 
name  of  which  I  do  not  know  either  in  Russ  or  English.  It 
is  prescribed  by  the  Ziryans,  a  Christian  tribe  who  live  at  the 
north  of  the  Government  of  Perm.  It  is  not  known  here- 
abouts, and  is  called  simply  the  Ziriansky  herb.  It  is  placed 
at  the  bed's  head,  or  under  the  pillow,  and  worn  round  the 
neck  as  well. 

3.  A  blessed  Easter  tgg  that  has  lain  on  the  Bojnitza  (a 
little  three-cornered  shelf  in  the  corner  of  a  room  for  standing 
the  pictures  of  Saints  on)  for  three  Easters.  It  is  sewn  up  in  a 
leather  or  oil-skin  bag. 

4.  A  live  spider,  confined  in  a  thimble  or  a  nutshell,  and 
tied  up  in  a  rag. 

5.  The  word  Abracadabra,  written  thus  : — 

Abracadabra, 

Bracadabra, 

Racadabra,  &c. 
At  each  line  one  letter  being  missed  to  the  last  A.     One  word 
is  cut  off  every  day  and  burnt  by  the  patient  himself. 

6»  Passion  Candle.     This  is  a  waxen  taper  that  has  been 


\Extreme  Unction 


217 


used  at  the  following  services  : — Matins  on  Palm  Sunday ; 
Holy  Thursday,  evening  service;  Good  Friday,  vespers;  Satur- 
day's Twelve  Gospels ;  and  Easter  Sunday's  midnight  matins. 
It  need  only  burn  for  a  few  seconds  at  each  service ;  another 
taper  can  be  held  during  the  remainder  of  the  time.  The 
candle-end  is  worn  round  the  neck,  or  a  little  of  the  wax 
dropped  or  stuck  on  the  cross  the  patient  wears. 

7.  Camphor,  over  which  a  certain  prayer  has  been  said  by 
the  baboushka. 

8.  Water,  fetched  at  break  of  day,  and  taken  from  a  running 
stream  at  one  scoop,  the  way  the  water  runs.  Silence  must  be 
observed  on  the  road  to  and  from  the  stream,  and  on  arrival  at 
home  the  Lord's  Prayer,  Belief,  and  part  of  the  68th  Psalm  are 
said  three  times  over  the  water. 

9.  A  sure  and  certain  way  to  get  rid  of  ague  is  by  making  a 
rag  doll,  dressing  it  sufficiently  smart  to  attract  the  attention 
of  a  child,  and,  having  whispered  some  magic  words  over  it, 
throwing  it  over  a  fence  into  some  strange  yard  or  garden 
where  it  is  likely  to  be  noticed.  The  person  who  picks  it  up 
will  get  the  ague,  and  the  maker  of  the  doll  be  relieved  there- 
from. 

Smile,  as  the  English  reader  doubtless  will,  it  is  a  fact  that 
the  use  of  one  of  these  "  sympathetic  means,"  as  the  nobles 
call  them,  by  acting  on  the  imagination,  or  what  not,  of  the 
patients,  doubtless  is  beneficial;  and  I  know  numberless  in- 
stances of  persons  of  education,  and  with  the  usual  contempt 
of  such  for  superstitions,  worn  out  and  wearied  with  a  tedious 
and  obstinate  visitation  of  "  the  neighbour,"  yielding  to  the 
persuasions  of  the  nurse,  cook,  or  a  friend  of  the  auld-world 
sort — submitting  to  a  thrashing  in  the  bath,  and  a  course  of 
cinders,  spiders,  or  running  water,  and  getting  well. 


2l8 


Extreme  Unction 


Extreme  Unction 


219 


The  herbs  that  the  baboushkas  collect  and  prescribe  are, 
without  doubt,  salutary;  and  it  is  not  to  be  supposed  that 
their  medical  treatment  is  to  be  entirely  despised ;  but  it  occa- 
sionally happens  that  they  make  use  of  arsenic  and  other 
poisons,  and  sometimes  with  very  melancholy  results.  As  a 
class  they  are  most  kind,  good-natured,  sympathising  souls, 
and  by  no  means  the  mischief-makers  that  they  might  be. 
Every  family  has  its  pet  baboushka,  whose  appearance  is 
always  hailed  with  delight  by  the  children,  to  whom  she  brings 
hard-boiled  eggs,  turnips,  sun-flower  seeds,^  or  some  such 
luxury;  the  house-mother  tells  her  of  her  own  aches  and 
pains,  and  of  the  children's  ailments,  and,  whatever  may  be 
the  time  of  day,  treats  her  with  tea,  and  a  preparatory  glass  of 
balsam — favourite  beverages  with  them  all. 

But  there  comes  a  day  in  every  family  when  the  doctor  him- 
self shakes  his  head,  and  the  nurse  openly  declares  that  it  is 
time  to  send  for  the  Priest.  The  sick  person  is  generally  the 
first  to  insist  on  its  being  done ;  the  friends  feeling  that  this 
is  the  last  resource,  and  naturally  reluctant  to  believe  that 
their  dear  one  is  really  past  doctor's  skill.  As  I  before  said, 
the  Russian  patient  is  very  despairing,  and,  in  nine  cases  out 
of  ten,  fancies  that  he  is  going  to  die  whenever  he  is  ill,  declar- 
ing his  last  hour  has  come,  and  imploring  those  about  him  not 
to  let  him  die  unconfessed.  It  is  enough  for  a  servant  to  get  a 
splinter  into  her  finger,  and  for  the  place  to  gather  or  become 
inflamed,  for  her  to  give  warning,  solemnly,  with  floods  of 
tears,  and  to  make  up  her  mind  that  Anthony's  fire,  as  they 
call  mortification,  is  coming,  and  that  she  must  make  haste  to 
prepare  her  shroud.  In  an  hour  or  two,  having  persuaded  her 
to  wait  some  result  that  you  invent  to  gain  time,  you  find  her 

^  Eaten  as  nuts. 


; 


sitting  at  table,  eating  black  bread  and  kasha,  with  a  truly 
enviable  appetite. 

"  How  are  you  getting  on,  Tatiana?" 

"Thank  God,  barinia,^  Alexdy  got  it  out  for  me.  But  I 
thought  my  death  had  come." 

"  Well,  glory  to  God  !  I  told  you  so.'* 

"  Exactly  so.  .  Of  course,  barinia,  you  know  best ;  you  are 
'learned;'  you  must  know  better  than  we  fools." 

"  Then  why  did  you  not  believe  me  at  first  ?  O  Tania ! 
Tania !" 

When  Extreme  Unction  is  decided  on,  notice  is  given  to 
the  priest  or  priests,  and  to  such  of  the  relatives  and  acquaint- 
ance as  are  likely  to  come  and  join  in  the  prayers  of  the  family. 
In  fact,  it  is  considered  a  Christian  duty  to  come  unasked, 
much  more  if  you  are  personally  invited,  and  almost  at  every 
Unction  may  be  found  several  persons  who  are  utter  strangers. 
The  room  is  generally  crowded  with  visitors,  consisting  prin- 
cipally of  old  ladies  and  baboushkas  in  all  acceptations  of  the 
word. 

When  a  person  is  dying  of  a  complaint,  such  as  consump- 
tion, that  is  known  to  be  fatal,  but  which  does  not  prevent  his 
leaving  the  house,  he  endeavours  to  have  this  Sacrament  per- 
formed in  church,  when  the  ceremony  takes  a  solemnity  that 
it  never  can  present  to  such  a  degree  in  a  private  house.  It 
is  performed,  after  Mass,  in  the  body  of  the  church,  the  sick 
person  in  a  chair  with  his  face  towards  the  royal  gates,  which 
are  open  during  the  service.  In  either  case  the  letter  is 
exactly  the  same  ;  but,  as  by  far  the  greater  number  of  persons 
have  it  solemnized  at  home,  we  will  take  that  instance  as  our 
example : — 

^  Mistress,  my  lady. 


220 


Extreme  Unction 


A  table,  covered  with  a  clean  white  cloth,  is  placed  before 
the  picture  (or  a  little  naloy  if  at  church,  between  the  sick 
man  and  the  Amvon),  and  on  it  a  dish  or  plate  of  wheat-grains 
or  flour  ;i  on  this  flour  is  fixed  a  small  empty  lamp-glass  or 
wine-glass,  if  there  happens  to  be  nothing  else  at  hand. 
Round  this  are  stuck  in  the  flour  seven  little  pointed  sticks 
(about  the  length  of  an  old-fashioned  brimstone-match),  in 
honour  of  the  seven  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  on  the  top  of 
each  is  wound  a  little  cotton  wool.  The  Priest  on  his  arrival 
arranges  all  this  as  it  should  be,  pours  a  little  oil,  mixed 
with  wine,  in  remembrance  of  the  Good  Samaritan,  into  the 
glass  vessel,  and  hands  a  lighted  taper  to  the  other  Priests, 
and  to  every  person  in  the  room.  He  then  waves  the  incense 
round  the  table,  and  towards  the  people.  Turning  towards 
the  picture  again,  he  begins  the  service. 

It  is  very  long,  and  commences  with  prayers,  canons,  irmos, 
psalms  (not  the  Psalms  of  David),  followed  by  the  benediction 
of  the  oil  (which  must  not  be  confounded  with  that  made  use  of 
at  Unction,  properly  so  called,  and  which  is  blessed  by  the  Metro- 
politan himself).     The  prayer  of  benediction  is  as  follows  : — 

"  O  Lord,  who  by  Thy  grace  and  bounty  dost  heal  the 
infirmities  of  both  our  souls  and  bodies,  sanctify  this  oil  to 
the  healing  of  him  who  is  to  be  anointed  therewith,  to  the 
laying  low  of  all  passions  and  impurities  of  the  flesh  and  spirit, 
and  of  all  other  evil,  that  by  him  Thy  most  Holy  Name  may 
be  glorified, — the  Name  of  the  Father,"  &c. 

^  The  grain  or  flour  is  meant  as  a  type  of  death  and  resurrection  ;  for  as 
the  grain,  though  now  dry,  has  within  it  the  elements  of  life  and  fruit,  so 
the  sick  man,  exhausted  and  wasted  as  he  now  is  by  sickness,  may,  by  the 
grace  of  God  and  the  prayers  of  the  assembled  pastors  of  the  Church,  return  to 
strength  and  vigour,  and  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  a  holy  life. — Michdiloffsky. 


Extreme  Unction 


221 


It  is  read  in  silence  by  the  other  assisting  Priests,  if  present, 
•and  all  the  time  the  Reader  intones  various  "  voices,"  as 
certain  verses  of  a  meditative  nature  are  termed.  The  Deacon 
then  reads  the  first  epistle,  which  is  taken  from  James  v. 
1 0-16;  and  the  first  or  principal  Priest  reads  the  Gospel  of 
St.  Luke  X.  25,  the  story  of  the  Good  Samaritan. 

Several  prayers  and  a  little  Litany  follow.  When  the  last 
prayer  is  read  the  first  Priest  takes  one  of  the  little  sticks,  and 
dipping  the  end  wound  with  cotton  in  the  oil,  anoints  the 
sick  person  with  it,  of  course  using  the  sign  of  the  cross, 
on  his  forehead,  nostrils,  cheeks,  lips,  breast,  and  hands,  while 
he  reads  a  prayer  for  his  recovery,  which  begins  thus,  the 
patient  crossing  himself  devoutly  all  the  time  : — 

**  O  Holy  Father,  the  Physician  of  our  souls  and  bodies, 
who  sent  Thine  only-begotten  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  to 
heal  our  sicknesses,  and  to  save  us  from  death,  heal  also  this 
Thy  servant  (So-and-so)  of  all  his  spiritual  and  bodily  infirmi- 
ties," &c. 

This  is  done  seven  times,  and  each  time  a  fresh  stick  is 
used,  and  by  a  fresh  Priest  if  there  are  seven  present,  by  turns 
if  there  are  two  or  more,  and  by  the  one  Priest  only  if  there 
is  but  one.  The  rest  of  the  service  is  but  a  mere  repetition  ot 
the  former  part,  but  with  different  Epistles  and  Gospels  for 
Unction,  viz. : — 

Second. — Romans  xv.  1-8.     St.  Luke  xix.  i-i  i. 

Third. — i  Corinthians  xii.  27,  to  xiii.  8,  ending  with  the 
words  "  Charity  never  faileth."     St.  Matthew  x.  1-9. 

Fourth. — 2  Corinthians  vi.  16  ("For  ye  are  the  temple")  to 
vii.  2.     St.  Matthew  viii.  14-24. 

Fifth. — 2  Corinthians  i.  8-1 1.     St.  Matthew  xxv.  1-14. 

Sixth. — Galatians  v.  22  to  vi.  3.     St.  Matthew  xv.  21-29. 


222 


Extreme  Unction 


Seventh.-^!   Thessalonians    v.     14-24.      St.    Matthew    ix. 

The  Priests  each  read  a  different  prayer  after  the  Gospels. 
The  book  of  the  Holy  Gospels  is  then  held  open  over  the  head 
of  the  sick  person ;  if  there  are  seven  or  several  Pnests,  they 
stand  on  either  side  of  him,  each  holding  the  book  open,  while 
the  one  who  has  the  seniority  of  age  or  place  reads  a  beautiful 
prayer  to  the  same  effect  as  that  in  the  Visitation  of  the  Sick 
in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer,  "  O  most  merciful  God,"  &c. ; 
a  few  other  prayers,  various  in  expression  but  to  the  same  pur- 
pose follow,  and  the  service  concludes  by  the  patient  asking 
the  blessing  and /.r.^/^^/ forgiveness ^  of  the  Priest,  and  of  all 
present,  which  is,  I  need  hardly  say,  a  heartrending  ceremony 
for  the  friends  of  the  dying  person.  ^ 

The  service  for  Confession  and  Communion  of  the  sick  is 
the  same,  in  effect,  as  the  usual  form,  only  greatly  abridged. 
There  is  however,  a  distinct  service  which  does  not  exist  m  the 
English  ritual,  although  there  is,  it  is  true,  a  "commendatory 
prayer  for  a  sick  person  at  the  point  of  departure."  It  is  called 
in  the  Sclavonic  Prayer  Book,  "  A  form  of  prayer  to  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  and  to  the  most  pure  Mother  of  our  Lord,  at  the 
separation  of  the  soul  and  body  of  every  orthodox  believer." 

It  opens  by  the  Priest  making  inquiries  exactly  similar  to 
those  in  the  visitation,  with  the  additional  question  as  to 
whether  the  sick  person  has  confessed ;  all  are  made  when  the 
Priest  and  patient  are  alone,  the  friends  being  sent  out  of  the 
room ;  when  answered  they  are  recalled,  and  the  prayers,  or 
rather  hymns,  begin.  They  are  very  short,  but  many  m 
number,  and  consist  of  Irmos,  or  the  first  verses  of  Psalms, 
Kondaks,  or  short  psalms,  all  greatly  resembling  the  Psalms  of 

1  See  Confession—"  Pardoning  Day." 


Extreme  Umtion 


223 


David,  or  texts  of  Scripture.  For  instance,  "  My  soul,  my 
soul,  arise;  why  sleepest  thou?  The  end  is  nigh,  and  prayer 
is  needful  for  thee.  Begin  thy  work,  then,  and  may  the  Lord 
Christ,  who  is  everywhere  Holy,  and  who  filleth  all  things, 
have  mercy  on  thee." 

The  "form"  concludes  with  the  real  commendatory  prayer, 
which  resembles  that  in  the  Commination,  "  O  most  mighty 
God  and  merciful  Father,"  but  concluding  more  like  the  prayer 
"for  a  sick  person  when  there  appeareth  small  hope  of  re- 
covery."    The  Virgin  is  not  mentioned  or  referred  to  in  it. 

The  Priest  is  generally  sent  for  to  read  this  prayer  when  a 
great  and  apparently  serious  change  takes  place,  such  as  the 
limbs  becoming  cold,  the  eyes  fixed,  or  other  symptoms  of 
approaching  death  making  themselves  apparent.  When  the 
friends  see  that  he  is  going,  they  lay  a  Saint's  picture  at  the 
back  of  his  pillow,  and  stick  a  lighted  taper  at  the  head  of  the 
bed.  The  poor  lay  the  dying  on  the  bench  "under  the  Saints," 
or  picture  in  the  comer.  When  a  child  is  expiring  the  father 
or  mother  takes  it  gently  on  a  pillow,  and  holds  it,  crossing 
and  blessing  it  repeatedly  all  the  time,  under  the  picture,  while 
it  sighs  its  innocent  breath  away.  .  .  . 

And  all  is  over  !  The  parted  lips  remain  parted,  the  sigh  that 
you  expect  yet  once  more  comes  not.  Breathless  the  anxious 
relations  gaze  at  ....  is  it  possible  ?  ///^^^^'/ it  is  no  longer 
father,  mother,  wife,  son,  but  a  body  only !  The  one  of  the 
family  who  has  the  greatest  firmness  quietly  lays  a  hand  on 
the  eyelids,  while  the  rest  still  cross  themselves  and  ejaculate 
in  tearful  whispers,  "Lord!  receive  his  spirit!**  "Lord! 
remember  him  in  Thy  kingdom  !"  then  sink  sobbing  to  their 
knees,  kissing  the  dear  hand  which  but  a  few  minutes  ago 
made    its    last  movement  by  devoutly,  though  hardly  per- 


224 


Extreme  Unction 


ceptible,  signing  the  heaving  breast.  The  mother  and  father 
stand  by  the  bedside  of  their  Uttle  child,  cross  it  again  and 
again,  and  pray  that  its  sufferings  may  be  shortened.  The 
men  of  the  family  sob  quite  as  violently  as  the  females ;  a 
friend,  or  a  more  distant  relation,  or  even  one  of  the  servants, 
seeing  the  inability  of  the  master  and  mistress  to  think  of  such 
painful  matters,  sends  for  a  baboushka  (or  if  the  deceased  were 
a  man,  for  one  of  his  own  sex)  to  lay  the  corpse  out. 

I  cannot  find  out  the  reason,  hut  a  mother  is  not  allowed  to 
wngh_jvnH_firess  her^dgad  child,  nor  t^  ^-^^'•y  it  t^  ^^^  p;^^^^  ; 
all  my  inquiries  on  this  subject  have  proved  vain.  The  com- 
mon people  say  mysteriously,  "  How  can  such  a  thing  be, 
matoushka  bariniar'  and  the  nobles,  "I  don't  know,  really, 
but  it  is  not  the  custom  with  us."  Most  ladies,  and  many 
men,  especially  those  advanced  in  years,  prepare  their  grave- 
clothes  themselves,!  together  with  all  the  velvet,  brocade, 
muslin,  calico,  and  linen  required  at  a  funeral.  Young  mamed- 
ladies  are  frequendy  buried_ia-lheir  JKedding-dress.  The  usual 
grave-clothes  of  a  lady  or  a  well-to-do  person,  consist  of  the 
usual  underclothing  of  European  womankind,  the  dress  she 
has  been  accustomed  to  wear  at  communion,  a  net  cap  if 
married,  curled  hair,  and  flowers  if  a  maiden. 

Persons  in  his  Imperial  Majesty's  service,  from  the  general 
to  the  private  soldier,  from  the  actual  councillor  of  state  to  the 
humblest  of  writers  in  the  civil  service,  all  in  fact  who  wore  it 
during  their  lives,  are  buried  in  full  uniform,  with  their  orders 
and  medals  pinned  to  a  cushion  which  is  placed  near  them 
while  they  He  in  the  house,  and  which  afterwards  plays  a  part 
in  the  funeral  procession. 

Little  babies  have  their  smart  christening^^shigs  put  on  over 

^  See  Confession. 


Extreme  Unction 


225 


another,  stockings,  and  new  shoes  (new  shoes,  boots,  or  plaited 
bark-shoes  for  the  country  peasant  class,  or  the  rigorously- 
religious  of  the  better-to-do  of  the  lower  orders,  are  indispen- 
sable in  all  cases).  Children  who  have  outgrown  these  tiny 
garments,  are  dressed  in  a  long  sort  of  wrapper,  made  of  white 
muslin,  with  a  full  frill  round  the  neck  and  wrists.  A  little 
boy's  wrapper  is  bound  round  the  waist  and  confined  at  the 
wrists  by  blue  ribbons ;  and  an  amber,  wooden,  or  stone  cross 
— no  matter,  so  that  it  be  not  silver  or  gold — is  hung  round 
his  neck  by  a  blue  ribbon.  A  little  girl's  dress  is  the  same, 
but  with  pink  ribbons. 

When  washed  and  dressed,  with  many  a  prayer  and  pious 
ejaculation,  the  corpse  is  carried  into  the  saloon  and  laid  on 
a  table,  which  is  placed  cornerwise,  with  the  head  towards 
the  picture.  Sheets  are  laid  on  the  table,  and  pinned  neatly 
at  the  corners,  so  as  to  hide  the  legs.  Pillows  are  placed 
under  the  head  of  the  deceased,  the  hands  crossed  on  the 
breast,  anjdl  the  fingers  of  the  right  hand  bent,  as  though  in  the 
act_ofmaking_the  sign  of  the  cross.  A  taper  is  sometimes 
placed  in  the  hand  \  and  if  the  person  be  married,  the  remains 
of  the  wax  candle  he  held  during  the  marriage  ceremony  is 
used,  and  for  this  melancholy  occasion  carefully  kept  under 
the  glass  of  the  blessing  picture  from  the  day  of  the  wedding. 
A  small  picture  of  the  Saviour  or  a  Saint  is  placed  on  his 
breast.  The  body  is  covered  with  a  piece  of  broad  new  calico, 
and  over  it  is  laid  what  I  suppose  I  must  translate  by  the  word 
pall ;  for  a  grown  person  in  good  circumstances,  two  or  three 
breadths  of  brocade  {partchdy  a  material  of  very  varied  species, 
from  the  rich  velvet  embroidered  with  gold,  to  the  coarse  silk 
and  worsted  stuff  with  gold  or  silver  flowers  interwoven ;  one 
or  the  other  are  always  of  a  gaudy,  showy  pattern)  are  used, 


% 


226 


Extreme  Unction 


Extreme  Unction 


227 


or  a  few  breadths  of  satin-turc ;  for  children,  a  blue  or  pink 
silk  handkerchief,  such  as  are  worn  by  the  peasant-women  on 
their  heads ;  they  are  about  a  yard  square,  and  as  they  are 
cut  from  the  piece  as  required,  two  may  be  bought  undivided 
if  wanted.  Palls  ready-made,  with  a  cross  of  gold  lace  sewn 
on  them  in  the  middle,  of  various  degrees  of  handsomeness, 
are  kept  at  churches,  and  let  out  to  those  who  cannot  afford 
a  new  one,  and  the  pay  is  added  to  the  funds  of  the  church. 

In  the  meantime,  they  have  sent  to  the  church  for  the 
crucifix  and  four  tall  candlesticks,  also  for  a  supply  of  tapers, 
while  another  messenger  has  been  despatched  for  the  Priest 
and  Deacon  to  perform  a  requiem,  and  for  a  Reader  to  read 
over  the  corpse.     This  last  person  is  sometimes  only  a  peasant 
or  burgher,  who  gets  his  bread  by  reading  over  the  dead ; 
women  very  frequently  perform   this  dismal   office,  and  de- 
formed or  painfully-plain  girls  of  humble  rank  are  brought 
up  for  this  express  purpose,  as  a  sure  means  of  gaining  an 
honest  livelihood.     In  wealthy  families  a  Church  Reader  is 
almost  always  employed.     In  either  case,  he  has  an  assistant 
who  reads  while  he  sleeps  and  takes  his  meals,  and  the  two  live 
in  the  house  all  the  time  the  corpse  remains  unburied ;  they 
read    the    Psalter    over   and    over    again,   interspersed  with 
prayers,  and  the   never-ceasing,   low,  monotonous   sound  of 
their  voices    is    inexpressibly  mournful  and  tedious.      The 
Reader  has  a  little  desk,  like  those  which  violinists  use, 
covered  with  a  towel,  on  which  his  Sclavonic  Psalter,  bound 
in  strong  brown  leather  and  fastened  by  uncouth  brass  clasps, 
rests.     The  burgher  or  peasant  Reader  is  generally  an   old 
man  unfit  for  work   of  a  more  laborious  description.     He 
stands  by  the  side  of  the  table  where  the  deceased  lies,  with 
his  face  towards  the  picture. 


The  crucifix,  which  is  about  a  yard  and  three-quarters  in 
height,  is  placed  in  the  corner  beneath  the  picture,  before 
which,  of  course,  the  suspended  lamp  burns ;  and  the  four 
candlesticks,  which  are  higher  than  the  table  itself,  are  placed 
on  the  floor  at  each  end  of  the  table.  They  have  draperies  of 
muslin  or  calico  tied  round  them  like  petticoats )  the  ribbon 
with  which  they  are  tied  is  black  for  an  elderly  person,  and 
blue  or  pink  for  the  young ;  a  sort  of  scarf,  also  of  muslin  or 
calico,  is  twisted  round  the  crucifix. 

If  the  family  wish  to  inform  any  of  their  friends  or  relations 
of  what  has  happened,  they  send  a  messenger,  who  communi- 
cates the  intelligence  in  these  words  : — 

"  Michael  Alexandrovitch  (name  of  deceased)  desires  his 
compliments  to  you,  and  wishes  you  may  live  long,"— which 
means  that  he  has  ceased  to  live  himself.  The  hearers  after 
expressing  their  sorrow,  regret  or  surprise,  always  cross  them- 
selves and  exclaim,  "  The  kingdom  of  Heaven  be  his  !"  If, 
in  large  towns,  it  is  wished  to  publish  a  death  in  the  newspaper, 
it  is  done  in  the  following  form,  and  in  a  separate  paragraph, 
among  the  advertisements.  Births,  marriages,  and  deaths  are 
not  printed  in  Russian  papers  as  in  England. 

"Sophia  Conradievna  Gourieff  informs  her  friends  and 
acquaintance,  with  grief,  of  the  demise  of  her  husband,  the 
Secret  Councillor,  Pavel  Petrovitch  Gourieff,  which  occurred 
on  the  nth  instant,  and  begs  such  of  them  as  desire  to  show 
respect  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased,  to  assemble  at  her 
house  on  the  day  of  his  funeral,  Tuesday  next,  the  14th  instant, 
at  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning"  (or  at  such  and  such  a 
church). 

All  the  looking-glasses  in  the  room  where  the  body  lies  (the 
Russians  are  very  fond  of  mirrors,  and  hang  them  in  every  pier 


'I, 


I  ! 


228 


Extreme  Unction 


if  they  can  afford  it),  and  in  the  rooms  leading  out  of  it,  are 
covered  with  sheets  or  table-cloths. 

All  these  arrangements  are  made  in  a  very  short  time— an 
hour  or  two  at  most.  The  bedstead  of  the  deceased  is  taken 
into  the  yard,  the  pillows  and  bedding  into  the  loft,  a  light 
and  very  airy  place,  having  openings  at  each  end  to  produce  a 
thorough  draught ;  in  winter  it  is  used  for  drying  the  freshly- 
washed  linen,  and  it  is  a  general  receptacle  for  everything  that 
requires  airing.  The  ladies  of  the  family  put  on  any  black 
gown  that  they  may  happen  to  possess,  or  in  its  total  absence 
the  darkest  one  that  their  wardrobe  contains,  until  a  new  black 

one  is  made. 

In  due  time,  and  frequently  before  all  is  brought  to  order, 
and  the  first  burst  of  grief  and  bewilderment  subsided,  the 
Priest  arrives  with  words  of  comfort  and  kindness,  and  sings 
a  requiem,  which  is  observed  twice  a  day  during  the  time  the 
body  remains  at  home,  and  evening-matins  every  afternoon  at 
five  or  six.     The  most  remarkable  feature  in  the  requiem  is  the 
chanting  of  "  Everlasting  Remembrance."     The  Priest  says, 
after  several  prayers  for  the  repose  of  the  deceased's  soul,  and 
for  the  forgiveness  of  all  his  sins,  voluntary  and  involuntary  : — 
"With  the  Saints  let  the   soul   of  thy  deceased   servant, 
O  Lord,  rest  in  peace,  and  keep  him  in  Everlasting  Remem- 
brance."    The  choir  take  up  the  last  words  and  sing  them  to 
a  mournful  strain  several  times.     This  is  sung  at  every  requiem 
and  funeral,  and  always  makes  the  mourners  weep  violently. 

It  is  considered  a  Christian  duty  (James  i.  27)  to  visit 
the  bereaved  in  their  affliction,  and  it  would  be  taken  very  ill 
if  they  were  to  shut  themselves  up  and  refuse  to  see  their 
friends,  who,  however  unwelcome,  mean  kindly,  of  course. 
A  mere  inquiry,  on  the  other  hand,  unless  the  friend  were  ill 


Extreme  Unction 


229 


or  infirm,  would  be  thought  strange  and  unkind  by  the 
mourning  family.  There  is,  of  course,  no  ceremony  in  such 
visits :  the  acquaintances  put  on  the  nearest  approach  to 
mourning  that  their  wardrobe  permits,  and  after  a  silent  prayer 
before  the  picture,  bow  to,  and  frequently  prostrate  themselves 
before  the  corpse,  reverently  lift  the  covering  from  his  face,  and 
kiss  either  his  forehead,  hand,  or  the  picture  on  his  breast, 
according  to  the  terms  of  relationship,  friendship,  or  acquaint- 
ance on  which  they  felt  themselves  with  him  and  his  family. 
Condolements  are  the  same  in  every  language,  but  there  is  one 
phrase  that  is  invariably  to  be  heard,  and  which  is  peculiarly 
Russian,  "  We  shall  all  go  there  (meaning  the  grave,  I  presume), 
only  not  at  the  same  time."  On  the  whole,  I  should  say  the 
mourners  are  more  than  resigned  to  these  visits, — they  are  truly 
thankful  for  them. 

The  gates  (in  provincial  towns  and  villages)  of  the  yard  are 
thrown  open,  any  who  chooses  being  free  to  come  in  to  take  a 
look  at  the  deceased,  make  their  obeisance  to  him,  and  pray 
for  the  peace  of  his  soul.  One  of  the  family  is  always  in  the 
room  to  attend  to  the  candles  and  act  as  watcher.  The  Reader 
never  leaves  off  his  quiet  monotonous  reading. 

The  house  is  teeming  with  business ;  mourning  must  be  got 
ready  for  the  funeral,  which  takes  place  three  days  after  death ; 
and  preparations  made  for  two  dinners,  one  for  the  Priests  and 
friends  and  such  of  the  acquaintance  as  have  been  so  kind  as 
to  attend  the  funeral,  the  other  for  any  beggar  who  may 
choose  to  come,  and  which  is  served  in  the  kitchen,  or,  in 
the  summer,  in  the  barn  or  coach-house,  if  there  are  a  great 
many  guests. 

Alms  are  distributed  every  day  to  the  beggars  that  wait  for 
charity  at  the  church  porch  before  and  after  Mass,  with  the 


230 


Extreme  Unction 


Extreme  Unction 


23^ 


injunction  to  pray  for  the  peace  of  So-and-so,  merely  mention- 
ing the  Christian  name. 

In  a  few  hours  the  coffin  is  brought,  but  it  is  not  always 
quite  ready ;  in  some  houses  they  have  it  covered  with  velvet, 
or  some  other  material,  at  home,  but  I  think  this  custom  is 
going  out.     The  more  distant  relatives  or  intimate  acquaint- 
ance employ  themselves  in  decorating  the  interior  by  pinking 
muslin  and  making  ruches  of  it  to  go  round  the  edge  of  the 
coffin,  making  the  pillow,  &c.i     They  never  have  a  feather 
pillow  for  the  coffin ;  it  is  stuffed  either  with  wadding  or  with 
the  refuse  of  flax.     The  common  people  say  it  is  a  sin  to  bury 
a  person  with  a  down  pillow ;  the  educated  class  do  not  know 
why — "but  it's  not  the  custom" — the  usual  answer.     They 
have  an  idea,  too,  that  if  there  is  a  pigeon's  feather  amongst 
those  with  which  the  pillow  is  stuffed  on  which  a  sick  person 
lies,  he  will  not  be  able  to  die  until  it  is  taken  away;  and  if 
anybody  is  a  long  time  dying  they  change  every  pillow  in  the 
house  under  his  head,  fancying  that  in  each  there  must  be  a 
pigeon's  feather.     The  pigeon  or  dove,  being  the  emblem  of 
the  Holy  Spirit,  is  greatly  respected  in  Russia,  and  is  seldom 
eaten,  in  fact  never,  by  the  rigidly  orthodox.^ 

1  This  is  speaking  of  the  interioi-,  where  there  are  no  undertakers,  pro- 
perly so  called,  and  where  a  joiner  makes  the  wooden  part  of  the  coffin. 

2  An  English  friend  of  the  writer  once  sent  her  a  present  of  four  pigeons 
that  he  had  caught  in  his  yard.  The  cook  very  reluctantly  plucked  them, 
and  grumbled  a  good  deal  at  making  a  pie  of  them  ;  but  when  the  mistress 
of  the  house  came  with  the  usual  bag  for  feathers,  in  order  to  dry  them 
before  making  them  into  a  pillow,  nothing  could  induce  the  cook  to  add 
those  of  the  pigeons  to  the  stock.  "  God  forbid,  sudarinia,"  she  said  ;  "  if 
it  were  to  happen  that  one  of  the  orthodox  were  taken  with  his  death-sick- 
ness on  the  bed  or  pillows  that  you  intend  to  make,  the  sin  would  rest  on 
my  head  that  he  could  not  give  up  his  soul !    No,  sudarinia,  as  you  please  ! 


The  coffin  is  not  like  an  English  one.  It  is  broad  at  the 
head,  and  gradually  narrows  towards  the  feet ;  it  is  very  shal- 
low, and  has  a  deep  lid ;  it  stands  on  four  little  round  feet 
like  a  tea-caddy.  The  very  poor  have  a  log  hollowed  out ;  the 
better  class  plain  deal,  sometimes  painted;  but  the  nobles 
always  have  it  covered  with  some  kind  of  material,  varying  in 
richness  according  to  the  means  of  the  family.  Cotton  velvet, 
black,  violet,  red,  or  blue,  is  the  most  used,  but  frequently 
silver  cloth,  brocade,  glace  silk,  &c.  It  is  trimmed  with  gold 
tinsel  lace,  which  is  very  effective  and  extremely  cheap ;  a  long 
cross  is  formed  of  it  on  the  lid :  there  is  no  name-plate.  The 
inside  is  lined  with  calico  and  muslin,  and  trimmed  round  the 
edges  with  the  ruches  before  mentioned,  and  it  is  remarkable 
that  every  scrap  of  calico,  velvet,  muslin,  or  lace,  or  any  other 
material  that  has  been  used  for  the  grave-clothes  or  coffin,  is  . 
put  into  the  latter  to  be  buried  with  the  corpse, — not  a  snip- 
ping is  left :  if  it  be  a  very  large  remnant  it  is  given  away 
in  charity,  but  it  is  not  suffered  to  remain  in  the  house,  for 
they  fancy  that  if  it  does  it  will  "come  in"  for  another  corpse. 
If  the  deceased  be  limp,  or  if  his  eyes  open,  it  is  considered  a 
sign  that  he  is  "  looking  out "  for  another  to  follow  him.  I 
remember  one  instance  of  the  sort  which  made  a  deep  impres- 
sion on  a  nurse  of  ours.  Her  father-in-law  died,  and,  as  she 
said,  "  not  all  the  kopecks  in  the  house  could  keep  his  eyelids 
down."  She  was  of  a  melancholy  disposition,  and  this  cir- 
cumstance evidently  preyed  upon  her  spirits.  Two  or  three 
months  afterwards  her  brother-in-law,  the  son  of  the  deceased, 

I  will  buy  a  pound  of  down  out  of  my  own  wages  in  the  place  of  the  pigeons' 
feathers,  if  you  are  vexed  with  me.  It  is  a  pure  bird,  sudarinia."  Of 
course  the  matter  was  given  up,  seeing  the  woman's  earnestness,  but  the 
opinion  does  not  seem  to  be  universal  in  Russia. 


0 


232 


Funeral  Services 


Funeral  Services 


233 


was  drowned,  and  we  heard  of  nothing  but  hatiousJikd s^  open 
eyes  for  some  time,  with  histories  of  similar  occurrences,  more 
or  less  remarkable. 

There  are  always  two  or  three  old  women  in  the  house  at 
this  time,  people  who  have  some  sort  of  relation  with,  or  inte- 
rest in,  the  family  j  the  cook's  mother,  the  washerwomen,  the 
old  baby's  wet-nurse,  and  the  new  baby's  baboushka.  They 
condole  with  the  mourners,  relate  dismal  histories  of  deaths, 
funerals,  supernatural  appearances,  and  complaints,  some  of 
which  are  as  extraordinary  and  impossible,  as  the  "hairy 
sipples,"  "  green  asthma,"  and  "  brown  creatures  "  of  the  Eng- 
lish poor.  As  one  goes  another  comes,  and  to  each  the 
servants  or  mourners  describe  the  dying  moments  of  the  de- 
ceased, accompanying  the  narrative  with  copious  tears  and 
with  prayers  for  the  repose  of  his  soul. 

On  the  morning  that  the  funeral  takes  place  the  house  begins 
to  fill  at  about  nine  o'clock,  and  when  the  bell  for  Mass  begins 
to  rins  the  Priests  and  Deacons,  accompanied  by  the  Readers 
and  choristers,  come  to  perform  the  last  requiem,  and  to  ac- 
company the  funeral  procession  to  church.  The  body  is  fre- 
quently put  into  the  coffin,  which  is  blessed  and  waved  over 
with  incense  by  the  Priest,  at  this  time,  or  at  one  of  the  pre- 
vious requiems,  and  the  nearest  relative  does  it,  assisted  by  the 
others.  It  is  never  left  to  the  undertaker  or  servants  to  do. 
Sometimes  the  body  is  removed  from  home  to  church  the  day 
before  burial,  so  that  the  persons  invited  to  the  funeral  assemble 
at  church  the  next  day ;  but  they  are  requested  also  to  be  pre- 
sent at  the  carrying  of  the  body  from  home.  In  such  a  case 
the  ceremonies  are  exactly  the  same  as  when  done  on  the 

1  Father. 


\ 


morning  of  the  funeral ;  the  corpse  remains  in  the  church  all 
night,  and  the  Reader  reads  there  as  he  did  in  the  house. 

The  house  is  open  in  the  strictest  sense  of  the  term,  the 
saloon  and  entries  crowded.  All  the  officers  and  employes 
invited  come  in  full  uniform,  the  ladies  in  slight  mourning. 
The  female  members  of  the  family,  little  giris  and  all,  wear 
black  stuff  dresses,  large  capes  bound  with  white,  and  little 
caps  of  black  crape  or  net.  Bonnets  are  out  of  the  question. 
The  Priests  wear  black  cotton  velvet  canonicals  with  silver 
lace.  Soldiers,  forest-guards,  or  other  persons  without  rank 
under  the  command  of  the  master  of  the  house,  are  requested 
(or  more  strictly  speaking,  request  to  be  allowed)  to  come  and 
help  to  carry  the  coffin,  lid,  cross,  &c.  If  the  family  have  no 
dependants  of  the  kind,  a  relative  or  friend  frequently  offers 
the  services  of  the  men  under  his  command. 

Having  waved  the  incense,  the  Priest  begins,  "  Blessed  be 
our  God,"  &c.  When  the  words  come  in  the  Litany,  "  Let  us 
pray  for  the  peace  of  the  soul  of  the  deceased  (So-and-so),  and 
for  forgiveness  of  his  sins,  voluntary  and  involuntary,"  the 
friends  prostrate  themselves,  and  the  ladies  cry  bitteriy  at  the 
mention  of  the  name.  The  service  in  the  house  is  very  short, 
and  at  its  conclusion  the  relatives  kiss  and  take  leave  of  the 
deceased  at  home.  Let  it  be  understood  that  the  lid  of  the 
coffin  is  not  put  on  yet,  and  that  the  face  on  every  occasion  of 
requiems,  &c.,  is  fully  exposed  to  view ;  but,  when  the  bearers 
take  up  their  burden,  the  pall  is  drawn  over  the  head.  One 
of  the  male  relatives  holds  the  handle  at  the  head,  others  those 
parallel  to  the  elbows.  I  say  hajidles,  but  more  correctly  it  is 
a  long  piece  of  home-spun  linen,  passed  through  the  handles 
and  under  the  coffin,  that  is  held. 

First  of  all  goes  the  bearer  of  the  cross ;  then  the  lid,  on 


\\ 


234 


Funeral  Services 


which,  if  the  deceased  was  an  officer,  are  placed  his  sword,  its 
sheath,  and  his  hat.  If  he  had  orders  and  medals,  they  are 
carried  by  the  youngest  officer  of  the  funeral  party,  on  a  cushion. 
Immediately  preceding  the  coffin  walk  the  Priests,  and  with 
them  the  rest  of  the  clergy  and  the  singers,  chanting  at  short 
intervals ;  the  men  with  the  candlesticks  are  near  the  coffin, 
and  the  friends  follow  it ;  all  the  male  followers,  including  the 
Priests,  &c.,  are  bare-headed,  even  in  the  severest  frosts.^  The 
procession,  if  procession  it  can  be  called  when  there  is  not  the 
slightest  notion  of  order  and  which  moves  briskly  enough,  is 
accompanied  by  a  long  and  broad  motley  crowd.  When  they 
arrive  at  church.  Mass  begins ;  the  coffin  is  placed  in  the  body 
of  the  church  before  the  royal  gates,  on  a  sort  of  box  without  a 
bottom,  and  covered  with  black  velvet  or  calico;  the  lid  is  placed 
on  a  stool  by  its  side,  the  attendants  stand  about  the  head. 
Tapers  are  handed  to  every  one  who  wishes  to  hold  one,  besides 
the  actual  guests  and  family,  but  they  are  not  lighted  until  the 
Burial  Service  begins.  Three  tapers  are  stuck  to  the  coffin, 
one  at  the  head  and  the  others  parallel  to  the  shoulders  of 

the  corpse. 

After  Mass,  the  servfce  commences  with  the  first  part  of 
Psalm  cxix.,  followed  by  the  Litany,  a  number  of  psalms  (not 
of  David),  irmos,  and  hymns,  interspersed  with  prayers  and 
litanies.     There  is  a  great  deal  of  repetition. 

Then  come  the  Beatitudes,  with  a  litde  prayer  after  each; 
more  hymns,  and  constant  supplications  for  the  repose  of  the 
soul  of  the  deceased. 

^  On  meeting  a  funeral  the  Greco-Russian  always  takes  off  his  hat  until 
the  procession  has  passed  ;  and  all  men,  women,  and  children  cross  them- 
selves with  an  ejaculation  for  the  repose  of  the  deceased,  be  he  known  or 
unknown  to  them. 


Funeral  Services 


235 


The  Eplsde  is  i  Thessalonians  iv.  13-18,  and  the  Gospel 
from  St.  John  v.  24-31,  after  the  reading  of  which  the  tapers 
in  the  hands  of  the  Priests  and  others  are  extinguished. 

Before  the  corpse  is  taken  to  its  last  resting-place  the  Priest 
reads  aloud  a  printed  paper  in  the  Sclavonic  language,  which 
he  afterwards  places  in  the  dead  man's  hand.i  It  is  a  prayer, 
and  not,  as  I  have  read  in  certain  books  of  travel  in  Russia,  a 
passport  to  the  next  world.  The  custom  appears  to  be  exclu- 
sively Russian,  and  had  its  origin  in  the  following  manner  :- 

In  the  very  early  days  of  Christianity  (which  was  introduced, 
and  even  made  compulsory,  by  St.  Vladimir,  a  Grand  Duke, 
in  the  year  988)  there  lived  a  very  holy  man  at  Kiefif,  Theo- 
dosiusby  name,  who  was  the  founder  of  monastic  brotherhoods 
in  Russia,  and  became  abbot  of  the  first  band  of  monks  that 
established  themselves  in  the  celebrated  caves  of  Kieff.     Duke 
Iziaslaff,  the  then  reigning  monarch  of  Kieff,  became  a  great 
admirer  of  Theodosius,  and  profited  by  his  counsel  on  all  im- 
portant occasions  ;  and  having  the  highest  opinion  of  his  worth  \ 
and  piety,  he  begged  him  to  confess  him,  and  write  down  the   \ 
form  of  absolution  that  he  used.   St.  Theodosius  complied,  and 
the  Prince,  after  carrying  the  document  [about  with  him  wher- 
ever he  went  during  his  subsequent  life,  requested,  when  he 
felt  that  his  end  was  approaching,  that  it  might  be  buried  with 
him.     Ever  since  that  time  (1032-1074)  the  imitation  of  this  \ 
pious  fancy  has  been  kept  up.     The  prayer,  or  rather  absolu- 
tion, is  printed  on  a  large  sheet  of  paper,  with  small  medallion- 
like  vignettes  of  the  Saviour,  His  mother,  and  St.  John  the 
Baptist.     It  reads  as  follows,  with  a  space  (.....)  left  for 
the  Christian  name  of  the  deceased  to  be  written  in  :— 

i  Those  who  were  not  of  age  to  come  to  confession  are  not  buried  with 
this  prayer. 


236 


Funeral  Services 


"  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  by  His  Divine  grace   and  gift, 
when  He  bestowed  on  His  Holy  Apostles  and  Disciples  the 
power  to  bind  and  loose  the  sins  of  men,   said,  ^  Receive 
ye  the  Holy  Ghost :  whose  soever  sins  ye  remit,  they  are  re- 
mitted unto  them ;  and  whose  soever  sins  ye  retain,  they  are 
retained.'^     From  whom  this  power  being  conveyed  by  succes- 
sion even  unto  us,  through  me  be  spoken  the  absolution  of 
this  ghostly  child  (....)  of  all  sins  that  are  committed  by 
man  against  God,  by  word,  deed,   or   thought,   willingly  or 
unwillingly,   consciously   or  unconsciously.     And   if  he  were 
under  the  curse  or  excommunication  of  a  Bishop  or  Priest,  or 
under  the  curse  of  his  father  or  mother,  or  if  he  broke  his 
own  vow,  or  in  any  other  way  sinned  as  a  man,  but  repented  of 
all  with  a  contrite  heart, — be  all  these  sins  and  bonds  absolved 
to  (him  or  her),  and  as  a  weakness  of  our  nature  be  consigned 
to  oblivion,  for  His  mercy's  sake,  through  the  prayers  of  our 
nx>st  pure  and  most  blessed  Lady  and  Mother  of  God,  the 
eternal  Virgin  Mary,  of  the  Holy  Ghost  and  of  the  most  laud- 
able Apostles  and  all  Saints.     Amen." 

On  the  brow  of  the  corpse  is  placed  a  sort  of  band  called 
a  coronet;  it  is  sometimes  put  on  before  the  commencement 
of  the  service;  it  is  about  two  inches  in  width  and  long 
enough  to  go  round  the  head,  and  is  made  of  glazed  paper 
or  white  satin.  Cherubim  are  printed  on  it  in  gold  and 
colours,  and  a  text  or  prayer,  such  as  "  O  death,  where  is 
thy  sting?"  &c.,  in  golden  Sclavonic  characters. 

When  the  prayer  has  been  put  beneath  the  cold,  motionless 
fingers,  the  "  last  kiss "  is  given.  The  little  picture  that  lay 
on  his  breast  is  placed  on  a  naloy  at  the  foot  of  the  coffin, 
and  each  person,  before  he  approaches  the  deceased,  crosses 

1  St.  John  XX.  22,  23. 


Funeral  Services 


237 


himself  before  it :  first  in  order,  the  Priests,  Deacons,  and 
the  rest  of  the  clergy ;  then  the  mourners  and  their  friends, 
and  afterwards  any  one  else  who  wishes  to  show  this  last 
mark  of  love,  respect,  or  forgiveness  towards  the  deceased, 
the  choir  singing  appropriate  hymns  all  the  time.  The  picture 
on  the  naloy  is  then  taken  by  one  of  the  assistants,  who  holds 
it  while  the  principal  Priest  reads  a  short  prayer,  and  subse- 
quently carries  it  before  his  breast  in  front  of  the  procession 

to  the  grave. 

The  painful  ceremony  of  kissing  concluded,  the  coffin  is 
carried,  as  before,  to  the  churchyard,  and  placed  at  the  brink 
of  the  grave ;  the  pall  is  taken  away  by  an  officiating  Reader, 
and  remains  as  a  perquisite  to  the  Church,  and  the  lid  fitted 
on,  seldom  nailed  dowji,  but  merely  secured  by  means  of  two 
square  pegs,  with  corresponding  holes   in  the  coffin.     Two 
long  pieces  of  home-spun  linen  (which  is  very  narrow,  not 
more  than  fourteen  or  fifteen  inches  in  width)  are  passed 
under  the  coffin,  and  thus  it  is  lowered  into  the  grave,  which 
is  by  no  means  deep,  sometimes  bricked,  and  frequently,  in 
summer-time  of  course,  lined  with  green  turf. 

The  Priest  takes  a  handful  of  earth  and  throws  it  on  the 
coffin,  with  the  words,  "  The  earth  is  the  Lord's,  and  the  fulness 
thereof,  and  the  wide  world,  and  they  that  dwell  therein." 

If  the  deceased  were  anointed  with  Extreme  Unction,  they 
throw  the  lamp  or  wine-glass  in  which  the  oil  and  wine  were 
poured,  with  what  may  remain  in  it,  into  the  grave ;  also 
the  ashes  from  the  incense  then  used.  This  seems  to  be  in 
remembrance  of  the  "  spices  and  ointments  "  prepared  by  the 
holy  women  to  anoint  the  body  of  the  buried  Saviour.  A 
very  short  canto  is  then  sung,  the  blessing  given,  and  all  is 
finished.     Each  member  of  the  family  throws  a  handful  of 


\    n\ 


238 


Funeral  Services 


Funeral  Services 


239 


earth  on  the  coffin,  and  the  family  does  not  leave  the  margin 
of  the  grave  until  it  is  quite  hid  from  human  sight. 

In  the  meantime  business  has  been  going  on  actively  in  the 
house  of  mourning.  As  soon  as  the  funeral  procession  has 
left  the  yard,  three  or  four  women  appear  with  pails  of  hot 
water,  and  bunches  of  bass,  their  garments  tucked  up,  their 
feet  and  legs  bare,  and  they  vigorously  set  to,  to  wash  the 
floors  of  the  whole  house,  which  they  perform  standing,  not 
kneeling,  and  the  very  sight  of  which  is  enough  to  make  one 
feel  apoplectic  Then  tables  are  brought  in,  and  laid  for 
dinner,  and  preparations  made  in  the  kitchen  or  coach-house 
for  entertaining  the  beggars. 

The  dining-table  for  the  nobles  is  laid  much  the  same^s  all 
continental  tables  are ;  two  plates  for  each  person,  with  knife 
and  fork,  spoon,  napkin,  and  glasses ;  down  the  middle  of  the 
table  are  castors,  decanters  of  kvass,  mead,  beer,  and  water, 
and  black  bottles  of  foreign  wines  and  native  nalivka.^  No 
table-spoons  or  carving-knives  are  visible  on  the  table. 

The  tables  for  the  beggars  are  covered  with  coarse  white,  or 
striped  blue  and  white  cloths  of  home-spun  linen ;  heaps  of 
wooden  spoons,  painted  yellow  or  red,  a  salt-cellar,  and  2.jban 
(a  sort  of  wooden  jug  with  a  cover,  and  gaudily  painted)  filled 
with  kvass,  are  placed  at  intervals,  and  all  round  are  laid  small 
loaves  of  wheaten  bread  and  slices  of  rye  loaves  for  each 
person. 

The  guests,  in  which  I  include  the  beggars,  who  are  all, 
more  or  less,  known  to  the  family  from  having  constantly 

^  Prepared  thus  :  an  immense  bottle,  containing  from  two  to  eight  or  ten 
gallons,  is  half  filled  with  fruit,— raspberries,  currants,  or  mountain  ash,  &c., 
and  on  them  poured  vodka.  The  bottle  is  kept  in  the  sunshine  for  a  certain 
period,  and  then  the  liquor  is  strained  off,  sweetened,  and  bottled  for  use. 


received  alms  from  them  at  the  church  porch  or  at  the  house, 
accompany  the  mourners  home ;  and  the  first  thing  to  be  done 
is  to  wash  one's  hands  and  face  immediately  on  entering  the 
house,  for  which  purpose  water,  soap,  and  towels  are  prepared 
by  the  hostess,  who,  having  performed  this  ablution  herself, 
sets  about  ordering  tea  and  coffee  for  the  drawing-room  guests. 
The  Priests  and  Deacons,  in  fact  all  who  serve  at  Mass,  never 
eat  or  drink  until  it  is  over,  and  many  religious  persons,  espe- 
cially old  ladies,  do  the  same.  As  soon  as  this  is  over,  the 
beggars'  dinner,  or  rather  the  prayer  which  precedes  it,  and 
which  is  immensely  long,  begins. 

"  My  dear  Ivanovna,"  says  the  mistress  to  one  of  the  old 
women  who  are  lingering  about,  "do  be  so  good  as  to  see  if 
Nicephorovitch  is  come,  and  if  there  is  plenty  of  incense,  and 
a  candle  before  the  picture,  all  as  it  should  be.  Run,  my  dear 
mother." 

Nicephorovitch,  the  corpse  Reader,  is  there,  and  all  is  ready. 
The  family,  and  any  of  the  guests  who  choose  to  go,  repair  to 
the  place  prepared,  to  see  what  is  to  be  seen  and  help  to 
entertain  the  company.  Some  forty  or  fifty  beggars,  without 
their  wallets,  and  all  clean,  and  attired  in  the  best  of  their 
patched-up  garments,  are  assembled  in  groups,  some  sitting  on 
the  benches,  some  lounging  about  the  yard,  but  all  quiet, 
unobtrusive,  and  civil  even  to  courteousness  j  the  family  invite 
them  to  table,  inclining  the  head  each  time,  and  using  affec- 
tionate or  respectful  diminutives  to  them  all;  not  as  if  they 
were  kindly  feeding  them  out  of  charity,  but  treating  them  as 
guests.  Nicephorovitch  lights  the  taper  before  the  picture,  puts 
hot  coals  into  his  little  brazen  censer,  and  begins  a  fatiguingly 
long  prayer,  on  the  conclusion  of  which  the  guests  cross 
themselves,  and  take  their  seats.     The  family,  assisted  by  the 


240 


Funeral  Services 


servants  and  the  old  women  before  mentioned,  wait  on  them. 
Large  fish  pasties,  cut  up  in  goodly  portions,  are  brought  from 
the  kitchen ;  then  enormous  wooden  bowls  of  cabbage-soup, 
to  which  five  or  six  help  themselves  with  the  wooden  spoons 
straight  from  the  bowls  into  their  mouths — there  are  no  plates ; 
then  kasha,  that  is,  grain  of  some  sort — millet,  barley,  buck- 
wheat, &c.,  boiled  in  milk  or  water  to  a  smash ;  laphd, 
an  imitation  of  macaroni,  made  of  flour  and  eggs  mixecj  and 
rolled  out  very  thin,  then  cut  up  in  shavings  and  boiled  in 
milk ;  fried  dough,  korovai,  made  of  hundreds  of  little  bits  of 
dough  like  nuts,  first  dipped  in  oiled  butter,  and  then  packed 
into  a  shape  to  be  baked,  and  many  other  dishes.  All  these 
dainties  are  served  with  oiled  butter  in  little  pots,  into  which 
the  guests  dip  their  bits  or  spoons;  everything  is  plentifully 
salted,  and  washed  down  by  deep  draughts  of  kvass  and  beer. 

When,  towards  the  end  of  the  repast,  a  dish  called  kissel 
(potato-flour  boiled  in  kvass  to  the  consistence  of  paste,  and 
much  resembling  it  in  appearance)  is  served,  Nicephorovitch 
lights  his  incense  again;  all  rise  and  join  in  another  prayer 
and  "  Everlasting  Remembrance."  Then  they  sit  down  and 
eat  the  kissel,  with  honey  diluted  with  warm  water.  After 
dinner  they  cross  themselves,  and  thank  the  family  for  their 
good  cheer.  They  are  requested  to  attend  Mass  during  the 
forty  days  that  are  observed  after  the  death  of  a  Russian,  and 
invited  to  another  dinner  at  the  end  of  that  time.  The  beggars 
reiterate  thanks,  with  blessings  and  ejaculations  for  the  health 
and  salvation  of  their  entertainers  and  the  repose  of  their 
deceased  relative,  and  quietly  disperse. 

"Bring  up  dinner,"  says  the  master,  on  his  way  to  the 
house  or  saloon;  "and  sharply,  my  brothers." 

The  rest  of  the  company  have  been  waiting  the  return  of 


Funeral  Services 


241 


the  family,  and  thinking  what  a  wearisomely  long  history  it  all 
is ;  but  the  mistress  asks  them  to  take  their  places,  and  the 
second  repast  begins. 

The  inevitable  fish  pasty,  soup,  a  made  dish  or  two,  roast 
birds  of  some  kind,  turkey  or  partridges  or  young  fowls,  with 
what  is  called  salad  (boiled  potatoes  are  never  given  with  roast 
meat).     This  salad,  in  the  absence  of  green-meat,  is  salted  or 
pickled  something — cucumbers,  apples,  pumpkins ;  sometimes 
mushrooms  or  gherkins  in  vinegar,  and  even  cherries  and 
currants,  tied  up  in  little  bunches ;  preserves,  and  a  mixture  of 
beetroot  cut  small,  and  bogberries  boiled  with  honey,  a  little 
cmnamon   and   cloves :   then  pancakes,   with  preserves   and 
sugar,  and  a  great  dish  of  what  looks  like  shaky  blanc-mange, 
but  it  is  in  fact  nothing  more  than  kissel,  only  made  of  milk. 
When  this  appears,  the  Priests  and  Deacons  get  up  from  table, 
stand  before  the  picture,  and  begin  to  chant   "Everlasting 
Remembrance."     All   the   company  rise,   and   the  mourners 
break  out  afresh.     On  its  conclusion  they  sit  down  again  and 
eat  the  said  pancakes  and  kissel,  "  in  remembrance "  of  the 
departed. 

I  never  yet  met  with  an  educated  Russian  who  approved  of 
this  extraordinary  custom.  "  One  has  just  begun  to  get  a  little 
composed,"  said  a  sobbing  girl,  who  had  but  that  morning 
seen  her  mother  laid  in  the  grave ;  "  one  knows  that  nothing 
can  bring  them  back ;  one  tries  to  be  cheerful  for  the  sake  of 
the  rest— when  all  at  once  those  tiresome  Priests  get  up  and 
tear  one's  feelings  to  pieces  with  their  mournful  singing.     As 

if "  and  she  suddenly  stopped  and  fell  to  crying  more' 

bitterly  than  before. 

"  But  it  is  for  the  last  time,  dear ! "  I  ventured  to  observe, 
though  I  fully  agreed  with  her. 

'  Q 


242 


Requiems 


"  The  last  time  !  and  the  ninth  day !  and  the  twentieth !  and 
the  fortieth  !     But  you  foreigners  can't  understand  anything  !" 
"  Ah !  yes,  I  forgot.     It  is  rather  difficult  to  remember  all 

these  customs." 

And  so  at  first  it  is,  indeed.  After  dinner  a  waiter  is 
brought  in  full  of  glasses,  and  a  large  tureen  full  of  warm 
honey-water.  This  is  ladled  out  by  the  Deacon,  he  and  the 
Priest  singing  all  the  time,  and  then  handed  by  him  to  the 
company,  who  take  a  sip  or  two  of  the  sickly  beverage  "  in 
remembrance,"  and  soon  after  disperse. 

People  whose  circumstances  permit  it  have  evening-matins 
and  Mass  performed  every  day  for  forty  days  after  the  death 
has  taken  place,  and  distribute  trifling  alms  to  the  beggars  each 
time.  Besides  this,  special  requiems  are  sung  on  the  ninth, 
twentieth,  and  fortieth  days  over  the  grave,  and  the  Priests 
are  generally,  but  not  always,  entertained  as  on  the  day  of 
the  funeral.  At  any  rate,  they  are  invited  to  the  fortieth  day : 
on  the  first  two  occasions  a  "lunch"  (which  consists  of  as  good 
a  dinner  as  you  could  wish  to  eat,  only  without  soup)  is  pre- 
pared for  them.  On  the  fortieth  day^  the  funeral  is  almost 
acted  over  again ;  a  requiem,  dinners,  Nicephorovitch,  kissel, 
and  "  Everlasting  Remembrance  "  being  again  on  the  scene. 

Immediately  on  return  from  church  on  all  these  occasions, 
and  on  the  name's-day  and  anniversary  of  the  death  of  the 
deceased,  the  family  eat  a  spoonful  of  what  is  called  koiitid.;  it 
is  boiled  rice  and  raisins,  sweetened  with  honey.  They  take 
it  to  church  in  a  sugar-basin  or  butter-dish,  and  place  it,  with  a 
taper  stuck  to  it,  on  the  little  black  naloy  before  which  re- 

1  If  the  deceased  have  left  a  will,  it  is  not  read  until  the  fortieth  day,  after 
the  mass  and  requiem. 


Requiems 


243 


quiems  are  sung.  This  is  repeated  at  every  requiem,  and  is 
done  "  in  remembrance  "  of  the  deceased,  but  in  what  manner 
this  dish  can  bring  to  memory  a  departed  friend  is  more,  doubt- 
less, than  any  of  my  readers  can  suggest.  It  is,  however,  thus 
explained  by  Bishop  Benjamin :  "  The  rice  (or,  as  in  ancient 
times  ordained,  wheat-grain)  typifies  the  deceased  Christian, 
who  will  hereafter  rise  again  like  the  buried  seed  (John  xii. 
24).  The  honey  implies  that  on  resurrection  a  sweet  and  de- 
lightful existence  awaits  us  in  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  The 
raisins,  dried  up  as  they  now  are,  will,  on  coming  up,  be  beau- 
tiful and  lovely,  as  the  glorified  Christian  will  be  (i  Cor.  xv. 
43,  44)." 

On  the  name's-day  and  anniversary  of  the  death  of  a  person, 
requiems  are  religiously  observed  by  the  friends,  and  dinners 
frequently  given,  a  la  fortieth  day,  but  without  Nicephorovitch. 

Every  family  has  what  is  called  a  "  remembrance  book  " — a 
little  pamphlet  in  which  are  written  not  only  the  Christian 
names  of  the  actual  relations,  but  of  the  acquaintances,  old 
servants,  beggars  who  have  been  accustomed  to  receive  alms 
at  their  hands,  &c.,  in  fact  everybody  for  whom  the  owner 
of  the  remembrance  book  bears  a  kindly  feeling.  When  a 
requiem  for  one  particular  person  is  performed,  the  names  of 
the  rest  are  distinctly  read  through  by  the  Priest  and  Deacon 
several  times  during  the  course  of  it.  They  are  also  read 
during  Mass. 

Requiems  are  not  performed  for  litde  children,  as  they  are 
considered  sinless  until  of  age  to  come  to  confession ;  and  in 
the  Burial  Service  for  Infants,  which  is  distinct  from  that  of 
adults,  though  not  greatly  different,  the  deceased  is  styled  "  the 
innocent  (ox guiltless)  babe,  So-and-So,"  and  not  "the  servant  of 
God."     In  the  remembrance  books  they  are  called  "  the  Babe 


244 


Requiems 


Ardalion,"  or  "  the  Babe  Nadejda,"  and  not  simply  Ardalion 
or  Nadejda,  as  it  would  be  written  were  they  adults. 

The  office  of  Burial  of  a  Priest  is  distinct  again  from  the 
offices  for  adults  and  babies,  though  still  without  any  great 
difference.  Priests,  Deacons,  and  Readers  are  buried  in  their 
canonicals,  the  former  with  a  book  of  the  Holy  Gospels  in  his 
hand,  and  with  face  covered  with  the  silk  napkin  used  for 
covering  the  Sacramental  Cup,  the  whole  time  of  the  service. 

Tuesday  week  after  Easter  Day  and  Saturday  after  Ascension 
Day  are  especially  devoted  by  the  Russians  to  the  memory  of 
the  dead,  and  of  their  parents  in  particular,  from  which  they 
are  called  the  Parents'  Days.  The  orthodox  religiously  observe 
the  established  offices  and  customs  with  regard  to  the  dogmas 
inculcating  prayers  for  the  dead,  but  they  seem  to  be  parti- 
cularly impressed  with  the  conviction  that  alms  are  peculiarly 
beneficial  and  comforting  to  the  souls  of  the  departed.  If 
they  have  but  five  kopeckas  to  dispose  of,  they  prefer  changing 
them  into  twenty  poloushkas  (4  poloushkas  =  i  kopecka,  Jd. 
sterling),  and  distributing  them  among  the  beggars  that  stand 
in  a  double  row  at  the  church  doors,  to  having  a  requiem  per- 
formed, but  if  their  means  permit  it  they  observe  both  customs. 
The  alms  are  of  course  given  with  the  injunction  to  pray  for 
the  soul  of  John,  Mary,  or  Peter,  whatever  the  name  of  the 
deceased  may  be. 

I  had  heard  much  of  the  feastings  and  lamentations  that 
take  place  in  the  churchyards  on  Parents'  Days,  and  at  last 
determined  to  satisfy  my  curiosity  by  going  on  purpose  to  see 
them ;  I  found  an  opportunity  too,  by  accompanying  a  young 
orphan  relative  who  was  desirous  of  having  a  requiem  sung 
over  her  parents'  graves,  and  who  was  too  timid  and  inexperi- 
enced to  go  alpne  on  such  an  errand. 


Requiems 


245 


Followed  by  Sascha,  the  laundress,  who  carried  the  koutik, 
tied  up  in  a  napkin,  we  set  forth  early  in  the  morning  to  the 
cemetery,  which  is  admirably  situated  on  a  hill  of  considerable 
height,  and  thickly  planted  with  beautiful  birch  and  pine  trees. 
I  was  struck  by  the  number  of  beggars  who  were  standing  or 
sitting  by  the  road-side  waiting  for  alms,  and  asking  for  them 
"  for  Christ's  sake,"  "  for  your  parents'  sakes."  Each  was  pro- 
vided with  a  capacious  wallet,  and  a  loukoshko,  a  sort  of  pail 
made  of  lime  bark,  but  incapable  of  holding  liquids.  The 
nearer  we  got  to  the  church  the  more  numerous  were  the 
beggars  and  the  more  clamorous  for  charity.  We  gave  nearly 
every  one  small  coin,  of  which  we  had  previously  prepared 
an  immense  quantity  in  bulk,  though  trifling  in  value.  The 
common  people  principally  bestowed  eggs,  coloured  and  raw, 
cakes  of  fried  dough,  or  curd  tarts,  for  which  the  wallets  and 
loukoshkos  had  been  prepared.  The  beggars  were  mostly 
old,  blind,  or  crippled,  and  there  were  a  great  many  children 
who  called  themselves  orphans;  but  I  am  inclined  to  think 
that  the  curd  tarts  and  eggs  had  attractions  for  some  few  rogues 
whose  fathers  and  mothers  little  suspected  where  they  were 
that  morning. 

Crowds  of  women  and  girls  in  their  second-best  holiday 
attire  were  wending  their  way  by  the  different  streets  and 
lanes  towards  the  cemetery,  at  the  gates  of  which  were  erected 
half  a  dozen  or  more  booths,  with  cakes,  nuts,  and  other 
dainties,  presenting  the  appearance  of  a  fair.  Here  and  there 
might  be  seen  schoolboys,  who,  having  laid  in  a  little  stock  of 
small  pieces  of  writing-paper,  a  pen,  and  a  bottle  of  ink,  stood 
ready  to  write  down  the  names  of  the  deceased  relatives  of 
such  persons  as  had  no  remembrance  book,  of  course  for  a 
trifling  "consideration."    The  Httle  cemetery  church,  where 


246 


Requiems 


Mass  was  going  on,  was  so  full  that  we  renounced  all  at- 
tempts at  entering  it,  and  proceeded  to  the  family  enclosure 
of  graves,  there  to  wait  for  the  Priest  who  had  been  re- 
quested, the  evening  before,  to  perform  the  requiem.  The 
mourners  were  rapidly  filling  the  churchyard,  and  the  lamenta- 
tions were  already  beginning  ;  but  I  took  them  for  a  distant 
song,  and  felt  disappointed  in  the  reality,  after  having  heard 
so  much  of  the  heartrending  cries  that  are  uttered  on  this 
occasion.     But  it  was  the  commencement  only,  the  timing  up, 

in  fact. 

The  early  spring  morning  was  fresh  almost  to  sharpness, 
and  we  deemed  it  prudent  to  take  a  little  exercise  in  order  to 
warm  ourselves ;  we  knew  that  we  had  plenty  of  time,  for  the 
"  Dostoyny  "  bell  was  only  just  ringing,  so  we  proceeded  to  a 
little  crowd  surrounding  a  grave  whence  certain  doleful  sounds 

proceeded. 

The  women  respectfully  made  way  for  us,  and  there,  on  a 
recently-formed  mound,  with  a  plain  pine  wood  cross,  on 
which  was  carved  the  date  "  1859,"  and  nothing  more,  lay  a 
female  figure,  in  a  smart  gown,  a  violet  satin-turc  paletot,  and 
a  bright-coloured  cashmere '  handkerchief  on  her  head.  The 
voice  was  that  of  a  young  girl,  and  a  few  phrases  served  to 
inform  us  that  she  was  howling— d.s  the  peasants  say  very  cor- 
rectly— for  her  mother.  I  confess  that  it  seemed  to  me  too 
2}erfect  to  be  sincere,  and  the  endless  chant  she  kept  up  proved 
that  affliction  had  not  affected  her  memory.  She  would  fling 
herself  violently  on  the  grave,  howling,  roaring,  and  hiccough- 
ing between  each  phrase  in  a  tone  indescribable,  and  chanting 
a  lament  which  is  next  to  untranslatable,  but  was  to  the  follow- 
ing effect : — 

"  Oh,  my  dear  Mammika !— My  red  Sun !— Why  didst  thou 


Requiems 


247 


leave  me  ? — ^A  bitter  orphan  ! — Who  will  care  for  me  ? — My 
own  born  Mother  ! "  &c. 

Between  each  phrase  she  would  bang  her  head  on  the 
mound,  tossing  her  arms  wildly ;  the  screams  were  too  loud 
and  forced  to  be  affecting — that  is,  to  us ;  but  several  tender- 
hearted women  were  shedding  real  and  copious  tears.  At  last 
an  elderly  woman  came  up  to  her,  and  endeavoured  to  raise 
her,  but  in  vain ;  she  flung  and  howled  more  than  ever. 

"That  will  do,  Pashinka;  enough,  my  pigeon!"  she  said; 
"  thou  wilt  cry  thine  eyes  out,  weeping  at  home,  and  shrieking 
here  !     Get  up,  matoushka !" 

But  Pashinka  was  not  to  be  persuaded,  and  the  woman,  after 
several  essays,  left  her.  She  was  getting  quite  hoarse,  and  we 
quite  tired  of  looking  at  her,  and  of  hearing  her  mournful  repe- 
titions, but  I  wanted  to  know  the  end  of  it,  and  was  soon 
gratified  j  for  when  another  woman,  with  a  great  bovvl  full  of 
curd  tarts  tied  up  in  a  coloured  handkerchief,  approached  her 
with  nearly  the  same  words  as  the  first  woman,  she  got  up, 
groaned  once  or  twice,  blew  her  nose,  looked  about  her,  sniffed 
violently  on  one  side,  and  went  with  the  crowd  to  look  at 
another  orphan,  as  if  she  had  never  howled  in  her  life. 

This  was  a  family  group, — three  sisters  at  the  grave  of  their 
father.  The  eldest  stood,  stooping  towards  the  grave,  and 
chanted  in  a  piercingly  screaming  voice,  absolutely  painful  to 
listen  to,  a  long  and  really  touching  lament,  in  which  she 
described  the  comforts  they  enjoyed  during  his  lifetime,  and 
the  hardships  and  cares  they  experienced  since  his  death.  She 
seemed  really  distressed.  The  other  two  were  on  their  knee's, 
with  their  heads  and  arms  on  the  grave,  and  they  cried  and  - 
sobbed,  and  screamed,  in  a  manner  impossible  to  describe  or 
imagine,  the  whole  time  I  stood  by. 


248 


Requiems 


We  were  thoroughly  weary  of  the  scene,  when  we  saw  our 
Priest  approaching  our  enclosure,  and  we  hastened  to  join 
him.  Several  of  our  acquaintance  joined  us  ;  the  kouti^  was 
placed  on  one  of  the  graves,  and  the  requiem  was  hurriedly  and 
unimpressively  performed.  At  the  conclusion  the  following 
prayer  was  read  : — 

"  O  God  of  spirits  and  of  all  flesh,  who  conquerest  death  and 
the  devil,  and  givest  hfe  to  the  world,  grant,  O  Lord,  repose  to 
the  souls  of  Thy  departed  servants  (such  and  such  names),  in 
a  peaceful  place,  in  a  bright  place,  where  there  is  neither 
sickness,  nor  sorrow,  nor  sighing ;  and  all  the  sins  committed 
by  them  in  thought,  word,  or  deed,  forgive  them  of  Thy 
mercy  and  love  to  mankind,  for  there  is  no  man  living  that 
sinneth  not.  Thou  alone  art  without  sin;  Thy  truth  is  for 
ever,  and  Thy  Word  is  truth.  O  Thou  who  art  the  Resurrec- 
tion and  the  Life  and  the  Repose  of  the  souls  of  Thy  departed 
servants,  O  Christ,  our  Lord,  we  praise  Thee,  with  Thine 
Eternal  Father  and  Life-giving  Spirit,  now,  henceforth,  and  for 
ever."  "  Everlasting  Remembrance"  of  course  follows,  and 
with  it  the  requiem  ends. 

After  receiving  his  fee  the  Priest  left  our  enclosure,  and  was 
immediately  surrounded  by  mourners,  all  begging  him  to  sing 
at  some  particular  grave. 

At  every  enclosure  (by  this  I  mean  a  family  group  of  graves, 
surrounded  by  a  little  paling),  there  stood  a  relative  or  several 
relatives  waiting  for  a  Priest,  and  at  most  of  the  humbler 
mounds  also. 

The  better  class  merely  had  a  requiem  performed,  and 
immediately  returned  home,  unless  they  joined  a  friend  in  the 
same  pious  duty;  the  working  men's  wives  and  daughters 
remained  to  "  commemorate"  their  relations,  and  made  a  sort 


/ 


Requiems 


249 


of  table  of  the  mounds  by  spreading  a  handkerchief  like  a 
table-cloth,  and  laying  gingerbread,  eggs,  curd  tarts,  and  even 
vodka,  on  it.  When  the  weeping,  which  continued  for  about 
two  hours  after  Mass,  had  ceased,  the  mourners  set  to  to 
commemorate  the  departed  by  partaking  of  his  favourite 
dainty ;  and  if  he  were  fond  of  a  glass,  the  vodka  was  sipped, 
with  the  ejaculation :  "  The  kingdom  of  Heaven  be  his  !  he 
loved  a  drink,  the  deceased  !" 

It  is  not  only  in  low  life  that  the  Russian  remembers  his  lost 
ones  at  table.  They  all  have  a  habit  of  saying,  "  When  I  die, 
remember  me  by  coffee,"  or  green  peas,  pistachio  nuts,  or  any 
favourite  eatable  or  drinkable,  and  is  sometimes  merely  a 
Russian  way  of  expressing  a  liking  in  particular  for  anything. 
For  months  after  the  death  of  a  dear  friend  of  mine  I  could 
not  drink  coffee  without  tears,  even  in  the  house  of  an  ac- 
quaintance, and  at  home  could  not  abide  the  sight  of  the 
coffee-pot,  the  canister,  or  the  mill.  I  recollected  how  she 
enjoyed  making  it,  how  she  used  to  hide  the  cream-pans,  in 
order  to  make  sure  of  having  thick  fresh  cream,  how  we  used  to 
laugh  over  those  cofFee-drinkings,  and  what  a  pleasant  meal  it 
was  for  us  all  until  that  sad  blank  in  our  party  was  made  ;  and 
to  this  day  I  seldom  see  the  table  prepared  for  it  but  I  think, 
with  a  sigh,  "  Dear  M !  how  fond  she  was  of  coffee !" 

Besides  the  two  days  in  the  spring,  there  is  another  in  the 
autumn,  which  has  been  observed  in  Holy  Russia  for  several 
centuries.  It  is  not  kept  by  the  common  people,  but  is 
marked  by  a  requiem  on  the  Saturday  that  falls  nearest  to  the 
26th  of  October,  and  was  instituted  in  remembrance  of  those 
who  fell  at  the  great  ^battle  of  the  Koulikoff  Field,  so  famous 
in  Russian  history.  It  took  place  in  1380,  during  the  reign 
of  the  brave,  wise,  and  pious  prince,  Dimitry  of  the  Don,  who 


N 


250 


Requiems 


« 

may  be  called  the  King  Arthur  of  Russia,  and  who,  next  to  his 
ancestor,  St.  Alexander  Neffsky,  is  decidedly  the  favourite  hero 
of  the  Russians. 

This  battle  was  remarkable  not  only  for  the  signal  victory 
gained  over  the  hated  and  hateful  enemies  of  Dimitry  and  his 
subjects,— the  Tartars, — but  for  the  deep  piety  which  dis- 
tinguished the  undertaking  of  it,  and  the  thankfulness  to 
Almighty  God  which  the  success  called  forth.  The  river 
Ncpriadva  lay  between  the  Russians  and  Tartars,  and  the 
question  was,  who  was  to  cross  it?  Dimitry  was  undecided 
what  to  do, — to  bide  his  time  and  await  the  coming  of  the 
enemy,  or  to  be  the  first  to  begin  the  fight, — when  a  letter 
was  .brought  to  him  from  St.  Sergius  (the  abbot  of  the 
Trinity  monastery  near  Moscow,  which  still  flourishes),  a 
very  holy  man,  whose  counsel  and  blessing  were  highly 
valued  by  Dimitry.  "Be  strong!"  said  the  epistle,  which 
Dimitry  took  as  an  encouragement  to  act  decisively;  and, 
full  of  faith  and  hope,  he  lost  no  time  in  giving  orders  to 
his  followers  to  cross  the  river.  He  desired  that  his  own 
black,  princely  banner,  with  the  representation  of  the  Saviour 
on  it,  should  be  unfurled  before  him  j  and  while  his  200,000 
men  were  crossing  the  Nepriadva,  he  continued  "on  his 
bones,"  i.e.  knees,  at  the  brink  of  the  water,  praying  for 
blessing  and  success. 

This  was  in  the  evening.  The  next  morning, — 8th  Septem- 
ber,— the  Feast  of  the  Nativity  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  rose  dull  and 
foggy,  and  the  hearts  of  the  soldiers  were  down,  but  Dimitry 
rode  through  the  ranks  at  break  of  day,  encouraging  them> 
calling  them  his  dear  brothers,  and  exhorting  them  to  "  be 
strong."  "We  are  ready  !"  they  cried,  inspired  by  his  words; 
"  and  if  we  fall  for  our  country,  do  thou  desire  that  the  Church 


y 


Requiems 


251 


may  remember  us,  and  do  thou  keep  up  our  remembrance 
in  the  hearts  of  our  children."  He  gave  his  word,  and  kept 
it  sacredly.  So  did  the  brave  warriors,  when  the  sun  broke 
through  the  mist,  and  displayed  to  their  eyes  the  field 
before  them  covered  with  countless  Tartar  forces.  Dimitry 
crossed  himself,  and  with  the  shout,  "  God  is  our  refuge  and 
strength !"  rushed  to  the  combat,  and  his  people  after  him. 
On  the  vast  space  of  ten  versts  the  adversaries  fought  des- 
perately for  three  hours,  and  the  advantage  was  rather  on  the 
side  of  the  Tartars,  when  Prince  Vladimir,  the  cousin  and 
counsellor  of  Dimitry,  came  to  his  aid  with  a  reserve,  and  made 
the  enemy  fly.  Mamai,  their  Khan  and  leader,  who  with  five 
of  his  nobles  was  witness  of  the  fight  from  a  hill,  groaned  aloud 
when  he  saw  the  flight  of  his  army,  and  ejaculating,  "  Great  is 
the  God  of  the  Russians  !"  turned  and  fled  also.^ 

The  pious  prince  nearly  lost  his  life  in  the  fray;  but  he 
lived,  not  only  to  institute  the  "  Dimitry's  Saturday,"  as  the 
day  is  still  called  on  which  the  requiem  for  the  Koulikoff 
warriors  is  celebrated,  but  to  found  a  church  near  the  field 
in  remembrance  of  his  victory ;  and  his  wife,  also  in  memory 
of  the  same,  estabUshed  a  convent  for  nuns  at  Moscow.  By 
other  accounts  it  was  founded  by  the  mother  of  Prince 
Vladimir,  Dimitry's  aunt,  the  Princess  Mary,  who  became  a 
nun,  and  was  buried  in  the  church  attached  to  the  convent 

in  1389. 

1  Zolotoffs  "  History  of  Russia." 


CHURCH    BELLS. 

"  Funera  plango,  fulgera  frango,  sabbata  pango, 
Excita  lentos  dissipo  ventos,  paco  cnientos." 

{^Inscription  of  an  Ancient  Bell.) 

PROBABLY  the  following  little  sketch  would  never  have 
been  written  had  not  the  new  excise  laws  on  vodka ^ 
lately  come  into  force.  Until  1863  the  manufacture  of  that 
article  was  not  allowed  to  all  parties,  and  its  sale  was  limited 
to  the  few  who  were  rich  enough  to  purchase  the  privilege  of 
retailing  it.  At  the  present  time  the  price  of  intoxicating 
liquors  of  all  kinds  has  become  much  lower,  and  the  number 
of  kabaks  or  small  taverns  has  increased  to  an  astonishing 
degree.  Here,  where  we  have  twenty  thousand  inhabitants, 
there  are  upwards  of  ninety  kabaks,  and  in  every  tiny  hamlet 
in  the  neighbourhood  you  are  sure  to  see  one,  if  not  two  or 
more  log  huts,  with  the  inscription  over  the  door,  *'  Sale  of 
wine,  on  the  premises,  or  to  be  carried  home.  Kotipetz  (mer- 
chant) So-and-so." 

"In  the  days  of  Noah,"  said  a  patriarchal  old  man,  the 
watchman   of  the   Government   dam  belonging   to   the   iron 

^  A  kind  of  whisky. 


Church  Bells 


253 


« 


works,  as  he  stood  before  us  while  we  were  Vesting  on  the 
rocking-bench  on  the  boulevard  that  ornaments  the  said  dam, 
"  it  was  just  the  same  as  it  is  now ; "  and  he  pointed  with  the 
long  staff  on  which  he  was  leaning,  looking  like  Noah  himself, 
to  a  basket-cart  full  of  tipsy  workmen,  who  were  driving  past 
at  a  furious  rate,  and  singing  in  drunken  falsettos  at  the  top  of 
their  voices.  "  The  Bible  says  so,"  he  continued,  evidently 
supposing  that  the  Scriptures  were  utteriy  unknown  to  us ;  the 
assurance  with  which  he  spoke  awakened  my  curiosity,  and  I 
encouraged  him  to  go  on. 

"  Twenty  years,  sudarinia,  did  Noah  preach  to  the  people, 
but  nothing  could  induce  them  to  give  up  vodka.  And  when 
the  Lord  sent  the  mighty  Deluge,  they  climbed  up  into  the 
pine-trees,  sudarinia,  with  shtoffs^  and  pol-shfoffs^  in  their 
bosoms,  and  drank  there  until  the  water  reached  them.  And 
so  it  will  be  again." 

"  But  the  writings  say  that  there  never  will  be  a  deluge 
again,  grandfather !" 

"  All  the  s^me !  When  the  great  day  comes,  how  will  it 
fare  with  those  who  do  as  the  people  in  Noah's  time  did?" 

All  this  was  said  in  reference  to  what  had  happened  in 
Easter  week  that  year. 

On  Wednesday,  the  6th  of  April,  I  was  sitting  at  the  window 
reading,  that  is  with  a  book  in  my  hand,  but  more  often  glanc- 
ing at  the  groups  of  gaily-dressed  women  and  girls  with  their 
kaftanned  cavaliers,  wading  their  way  through  the  mud  to  the 
swings  and  merry-go-rounds  at  the  other  end  of  the  town,  than 
at  its  pages.  The  thaw  itself  was  over,  leaving  behind  it  dirt 
indescribable,  but  the  weather  was  glorious  overhead,  and 
it  was  really  provoking  to  be  compelled  to  sit  indoors. 
1  A  quart.  ^  A  pint. 


254 


Church  Bells 


Suddenly,  the'  clanging  of  the  church  bells  (which  are  rung 
incessantly  during  Easter  week,  except  in  the  night,  and  while 
Divine  Service  is  going  on)  ceased ;  and  when,  a  few  minutes 
afterwards,  it  was  resumed  with  redoubled  vigour,  I  observed  a 
great  difference  in  the  tone  of  the  Great  Bell.  It  had  become 
much  weaker,  and  had  a  strange  cracked  sound.  I  opened 
the  was  ist  das^  and  listened  attentively,  but  sat  down  again 
undecided  as  to  what  had  happened.  The  next  day,  however, 
I  was  told  that  the  sexton  had  allowed  some  tipsy  me?i  to  ring 
the  bells,  and  that  they  had  broken  the  great  one  in  question, 
which  accounted  for  its  altered  tone. 

Soon  after,  a  book  was  brought  to  me  by  the  churchwarden, 
with  a  request  that  I  would  write  my  name  down  as  a  sub- 
scriber towards  the  purchase  of  a  new  bell,  which  was  to  be 
ordered  at  Slobodskoy,  a  town  of  considerable  commercial  im- 
portance in  the  Government  of  Viatka,  where  there  is  a  bell 
foundry ;  but  I  was  too  indignant  with  the  church  authorities 
for  allowing  such  disorders  in  the  House  of  God,  to  consent ; 
and  intimated  to  the  abashed  warden  that  it  was  not  fair  to 
make  the  parishioners  answerable  for  the  mischief  every  tipsy 
man  might  create.  But  a  handsome  collection  was  made  with- 
out my  dole,  and  a  new  bell  ordered,  though  many  months 
passed  before  we  heard  any  further  tidings  of  it,  and  in  the 
meantime  we  had  become  thoroughly  accustomed  to  the 
cracked  voice  of  our  old  friend,  and  hailed  each  Sabbath  and 
holiday  as  heartily  when  warned  by  it,  as  we  did  when  its 
sound  was  clear  and  strong. 

Russian  bells  are  infinitely  larger  than  those  in  England,  and 
are  sonorous  in  proportion,  but  the  art  of  ringing  as  practised 
in  Great  Britain  is,  as  far  as   I  am  aware,  unknown  here. 

^  A  ventilating  pane  in  the  window. 


Church  Bells 


255 


During  a  residence  of  nearly  a  year  in  St.  Petersburg  I  never 
heard  anything  resembling  a  chime,  and  at  different  periods  I 
have  noticed  the  same  at  Moscow  and  Kazan.  Once  only  I 
heard  something  like  a  tune  in  the  tolling  of  the  bells  in  the 
cathedral  church  at  Ekaterinburg,  the  capital  of  the  Oural, 
but  it  was  marred  by  the  incessant  booming  of  the  great  bell. 
They  are  not  rung,  but  struck;  that  is,  the  clappers  alone  are' 
moveable. 

Notwithstanding  the  sameness  of  the  Russian  ringing,  an 
accustomed  ear  can  easily  distinguish  the  meaning  of  the 
various  sounds  produced  by  the  numerous  bells  that  usually 
hang  in  the  smallest  belfry ;  for  instance,  the  every-day  peal  for 
Mass,  matins,  and  vespers  is  composed  of  the  second  bell  in 
size,  which  summons  the  orthodox  to  Divine  Service  in  the 
following  manner : — First,  three  solemn  tolls,  with  the  interval 
of  about  a  minute  and  a  half  between  each,  followed  by  an 
even  and  uninterrupted  repetition  of  the  same,  but  allegro,  for 
about  twenty  minutes.  This,  for  Mass,  is  followed  by  a  com- 
plete silence  of  ten  minutes'  duration  or  thereabouts,  and 
concluded  by  a  grand  clanging  and  clashing  (called  a  trezvon, 
or  treble  peal)  of  all  the  other  smaller  bells,  which  lasts  for 
two  or  three  minutes  more.  This  signifies  that  service  will 
begin  immediately.  For  matins  and  vespers,  it  is  nearly  the 
same,  but  with  smaller  intervals,  and  of  less  duration.  At  that 
part  of  the  Liturgy  where  the  choir  sings,  "  It  is  worthy  and 
meet  to  bow  down  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to 
the  Holy  Ghost,  to  the  Trinity  Consubstantial  and  Indivisible," 
the  great  bell  on  holydays,  and  a  lesser  one  on  week  days,  ring 
for  about  three  minutes,  until  another  hymn  beginning  also 
with  the  words,  "  It  is  worthy,"  and  sung  to  the  Holy  Virgin, 
is  commenced.     From  this  circumstance  the  peal  is  called 


A 


256 


Church  Bells 


Dostoyno,  worthy,  the  word  with  which  the  two  hymns  begin. 
This  seems  to  be  pecuHar  to  the  Russian  Church,  as  it  does 
not  exist  in  other  branches  of  the  Greek  Church,  and  to  have 
been  introduced  about  the  middle  of  the  seventeenth  century. 
It  was  ordained  in  order  that  those  who  were  unable  to  join 
their  fellow  Christians  at  Church  might  at  any  rate  lift  up  their 
hearts  with  them  at  the  sound  of  this  bell,  for  it  precedes 
immediately  the  Transubstantiation  of  the  Elements— the  most 
solemn  and  important  moment  in  the  Liturgy.  On  the  conclu- 
sion of  Mass,  if  there  be  an  Imperial  moldben  for  either  of  the 
members  of  the  reigning  family,  it  is  preceded  and  followed  by 

a  noisy  trezvon.^ 

On  Sundays  and  great  holidays  the  order  is  as  above,  except 
that  the  largest  bell  in  the  belfry  is  used  for  the  tolHng,  and 
that  the  second  comes  into  use  with  the  rest  of  the  smaller 

ones  in  the  trdzvon. 

Wedding-peals  are  utterly  unknown,  and  tolling  for  the  dead 
also ;  but  the  bells  clang  in  a  particularly  mournful  manner  as 
the  funeral  procession  approaches  the  cemetery.  On  the  death 
of  a  Priest,  however,  the  great  bell  is  tolled  all  the  time  they 
are  laying  out  the  corpse,  which  is  done  with  a  certain  cere- 
mony by  the  brother  Priests. 

When  the  Archbishop  of  a  diocese  is  on  his  way  to  visit  a 

1  On  the  accession  of  his  present  Imperial  Majesty,  he  proposed  to  the 
Metropolitan  to  shorten  in  a  measure  the  Liturg}',  but  his  Eminence  said 
that  in  no  manner  was  it  possible  but  by  abridging  the  litanies  for  the 
Imperial  family,  in  which  each  member  was  fully  named  and  titled  several 
times  during  the  course  of  the  service.  The  words,  "  and  all  the  Imperial 
family"  were  consequently  substituted  after  the  full  titles  and  names  of  the 
Emperor  and  Empress,  the  Heir  and  Heiress.  Formerly,  too,  every  birth- 
day and  name's-day  of  the  Grand  Dukes  and  Duchesses  was  observed  by  a 
moleben,  but  it  is  now  celebrated  on  the  Sunday  following. 


Church  Bells 


257 


place,  a  tremendous  trezvon  is  kept  up  from  the  time  that  his 
carriage  is  within  hearing  of  the  bells,  until  his  Eminence  has 
reached  and  entered  the  church,  which  he  always  does  before 
going  into  any  other  house, — straight  from  his  carriage,  with 
all  his  suite;  the  Archimandrite,  Proto-deacon,  Sub-deacons, 
choristers,  &c.  After  a  short  service  he  returns  to  his  carriage, 
and  proceeds  to  the  house  prepared  for  him,  to  the  sound  of  a 
trezvon  similar  to  that  which  announced  his  arrival,  and  which 
is  repeated  every  time  he  goes  anywhere  from  home  during  his 
visit,  and  when  he  finally  leaves  the  place. 

From  Easter  to  the  14th  of  September,  the  Feast  of  the  Dis- 
covery of  the  Cross  (called  in  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer 
"  Holy  Cross  Day  "),  matins  are  performed  in  the  interior  on 
the  eve  of  Sundays  and  great  feasts,  and  not  on  the  morning 
of  the  days  in  question.  The  booming  of  the  great  bell  at  six 
o'clock  on  such  eves  has  a  peculiar  charm,  and  I  cannot  under- 
stand why  this  arrangement  should  not  remain  during  the  whole 
year.  From  the  14th  of  September  to  the  following  Easter, 
the  orthodox  are  called  to  matins  at  five  or  six  in  the  morning, 
and  sometimes  still  earUer;  and  it  is  saying  much  for  the 
religious  feeling  of  the  Russians  to  acknowledge  that  the 
churches  are  almost  invariably  crowded  at  matins  on  Sundays 
and  holydays.  Let  it  be  remembered  that  here,  in  the  Govern- 
ment of  Viatka,  from  November  to  March  we  have  frosts  vary- 
ing from  10°  to  35°,  and  even  40°  (though  of  rare  occurrence), 
Reaumur,  with  occasional  days  of  comparative  warmth,  which, 
however,  are  very  "few  and  far  between."  Such  a  state  of 
cold,  as  the  latter  figures  intimate,  is  positively  incomprehen- 
sible to  an  inhabitant  of  Great  Britain.  Fancy  getting  up  at 
five  o'clock,  and  proceeding  on  foot  in  the  dark,  with  20°  or 
30°  of  Jack  Frost !    Let  me  add  that  no  true  Greco-Russian 

R 


258 


Church  Bells 


would  think  of  preparing  himself  or  herself  for  such  a  cool 
walk  by  a  cup  of  hot  tea  or  coflfee. 

On  New  Year's  Day,  1864,  when  the  congregation  left  the 
church  after  Mass,  they  were  agreeably  surprised  by  the  sight 
of  the  new  bell,  which  had  arrived  during  the  service,  and  was 
left  under  a  sort  of  gallows  in  front  of  the  church,  which  had 
been  prepared  for  it  in  the  autumn.  In  out-of-the-way  places 
like  this,  there  is  so  little  in  the  shape  of  novelty  and  news, 
that  this  circumstance  formed  subject  for  conversation  during 
all  New  Year's  Day :  conjectures  as  to  its  weight,  tone,  and 
price  j  narratives  of  other  bells ;  the  history  of  its  cracked  pre- 
decessor, and  reminiscences  of  the  Priests  who  had  charge  of 
God's  little  flock  here  when  it  was  brought  from  Slobodskyy 
nearly  thirty  years  previously — were  heard  on  every  side.  My 
curiosity  was  aroused,  and  I  went  to  look  at  the  new  bell  a  week 
or  so  after  its  arrival,  when  it  was  hanging  in  the  gallows  before 
mentioned,  while  the  pulleys  and  other  contrivances  required 
to  raise  it  to  the  belfry  were  being  prepared  at  the  works. 

It  was  a  very  handsome  piece  of  workmanship,  bronze,  with 
bands  of  bright  brass,  and  its  shape  very  elegant.  It  is  eight 
feet  some  inches  in  height,  weighs  10,950  lbs.  avoirdupois,  and 
cost  upwards  of  5,000  silver  roubles  (about  800/.),  at  eighteen 
silver  roubles  per  pood.  On  its  four  sides  are  bas-reliefs  repre- 
senting the  principal  pictures  in  the  church  for  which  it  was 
destined,  namely — that  of  the  Saviour,  the  Holy  Virgin  of 
Vladimir  (that  is  to  say,  after  the  manner  of  a  celebrated  pic- 
ture at  Vladimir),  St.  Dimitry  Rostoffsky,  Metropolite  in  the 
time  of  Peter  the  Great,  and  St.  Nicholas,  the  miracle  worker, 
who  lived  in  the  third  century. 

Besides  these  bas-reliefs,  which  are  very  fairly  executed,  the 
bell  is  richly  ornamented  with  arabesques  in  the  Russo-Byzan- 


Church  Bells 


259 


I 


tine  style,  and  between  the  brass  bands  are  the  following  in- 
scriptions : — 

1.  "  O  let  the  earth  bless  the  Lord  \  yea,  let  it  praise  Him. 
O  ye  heavens,  bless  ye  the  Lord."  (Song  of  the  Three  Chil- 
dren.) 

2.  "In  the  evening,  and  morning,  and  at  noon-day  will  I 
pray,  and  that  instantly :  and  He  shall  hear  my  voice."  (Ps. 
Iv.  18.) 

3.  "  I  will  build  my  church,  and  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  against  it."     (St.  Matthew  xvi.  18.) 

4.  "  For  the  cathedral  church  of  the  Annunciation  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  in  Votkinsky  Zavod,  from  the  devouter  fre- 
quenters of  that  House  of  God.  To  the  Lord  God  are  known 
their  names." 

This  description  of  our  bell  will  give  the  reader  a  sufficient 
idea  of  those  of  Russia  in  general ;  but  perhaps  a  little  further 
information  on  the  subject  may  not  be  without  interest 

Let  it  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  largest  bell  in  England,  that 
of  Christ  Church  College,  Oxford,  weighs  but  17,000  lbs. ;  the 
Great  Bell  of  St.  Paul's,  London,  11,474  lbs.;  and  the  cele- 
brated Tom  of  Lincoln,  10,854  lbs.,  less  by  96  lbs.  than  the 
new  one  at  Votkinsk,  which  is  but  a  Government  zavod  (or 
manufacturing  town,  important  only  for  its  works,  which  pro- 
duce wrought  iron,  cables,  anchors,  and  iron  ships).  But  the 
bells  in  large  towns,  especially  in  St.  Petersburg  and  Moscow, 
are  infinitely  larger  than  any  of  those  above  mentioned. 

The  original  Ivan  Viliki  (Big  John)  of  Moscow,  for  which 
no  belfry  could  be  built  strong  enough,  weighed  432,000  lbs. 
It  still  exists  in  the  enclosure  of  the  Kreml,  with  a  large  piece 
like  a  door  broken  out  of  its  side.  Its  size  is  enormous,  and  a 
hermit  might  live  in  it  very  comfortably. 


26o 


Church  Bells 


The  Ivan  Viliki,  which  succeeded  the  former  one,  weighs 
216,000  lbs.  and  hangs  in  the  belfry  of  the  Church  of  St.  John 
the  Great,  at  Moscow. 

.  In  the  magnificent  cathedral  of  St.  Isaac,  at  St.  Petersburg, 
which  was  completed  and  consecrated  two  years  after  the 
accession  of  his  present  Imperial  Majesty,  Alexander  the 
Liberator,  after  nearly  twenty  years  building,  is  the  largest  and 
most  sonorous  bell  in  that  city.  It  weighs  53,072  lbs.  and  is 
ornamented  with  a  large  picture  in  bas-relief  of  St.  Isaac  of 
Dalmatia,  to  whom  the  cathedral  is  dedicated,  and  with  five 
medallion  portraits  of  its  Imperial  builders  (for  it  was  begun 
several  times),  viz.  Peter  I.  (the  Great),  Catherine  II.,  Paul  I., 
Alexander  I.,  and  Nicholas  I.  It  contains  a  considerable 
portion  of  gold  and  silver. 

Bells  have  always  been  in  great  favour  with  the  Russians, 
and  are  regarded  by  the  peasants  with  a  superstitious  reverence. 
They  are  not,  however,  christened,  as  I  have  heard  it  affirmed ; 
but,  as  we  shall  see  in  the  sequel,  merely  consecrated,  as  is 
every  other  article  that  is  to  belong  to  the  House  of  God. 

We  read  in  Russian  history,  so  rich  in  episode  and  charac- 
teristic anecdote,  that  the  Tzar  Ivan  Vasilievitch,  surnamed 
the  Terrible,  who  lived  contemporary  with  Queen  Elizabeth 
(and  made  her  an  ofi'er  too,  by-the-by)  and  whose  religious 
fanaticism  was  almost  equal  to  his  dreadful  cruelty,  was  very 
fond  of  ringing  for  matins^  in  the  monastery  which  he  had 
formed  in  the  precincts  of  Moscow  for  himself  and  three 
hundred  of  his  chosen  boyarins.^  At  three  or  four  o'clock  in 
the  morning  he  used  to  go  into  the  belfry  with  his  two  sons, 
and  Maliutka  Skouriatoff",  a  favourite  of  his,  and  assemble  the 

^  **  Paco  cruentos  "  (?)  there  is  an  exception  to  every  rule. 
2  Ancient  Russian  Nobility. 


Church  Bells 


261 


rest  of  the  singular  fraternity  by  his  doleful  pealings.  Woe 
betide  the  unfortunate  boyarin  who  failed  to  attend  the  sum- 
mons !  During  Divine  Service  Ivan  performed  such  fervent 
prostrations,  that  he  always  had  marks,  and  frequently  bloody 
ones,  on  his  forehead,  from  the  blows  he  inflicted  on  it  by 
banging  it  on  the  stone  pavement.  Yet,  not  unfrequently,  he 
would  give  his  most  terrible  orders  during  the  Liturgy.^ 

When  Prince  Andre  Kourbsky,  once  the  friend  and  favourite 
of  Ivan,  fled  in  terror  from  his  barbarous  sovereign,  and  joined 
the  bitterest  enemies  of  Russia,  the  Lithuanians,  he  resolved  to 
write  a  letter  to  the  terrible  Tzar  and  tell  him  his  reasons  for 
dealing  thus  treacherously,  and  "  to  open  his  soul,"  says  the 
chronicler,  "  which  was  filled  with  bitterness  and  indignation." 
But,  how  to  send  the  epistle  ?  Of  course  no  post  existed  at 
that  time,  and  the  Prince  was  at  a  loss  how  to  get  the  letter 
conveyed.  His  faithful  follower  and  servant,  Vasili  Shibanoff" 
Stremyanoy  (stirrup-bearer),  the  only  one  of  all  his  j^etainers 
who  had  accompanied  him  to  the  Lithuanian  camp,  and  who 
had  already  proved  his  devotion  to  his  lord  by  insisting  on  his 
taking  his  horse  when  that  of  Kourbsky  was  overcome  by  the 
weight  of  its  runaway  rider,  and  unable  to  go  further,  offered 
his  services,  though  he  well  knew  that  his  fate  was  next  to 
certain  on  appearing  before  the  "  threatening  eyes "  of  the 
bloodthirsty  tyrant  with  such  a  commission.  Kourbsky  gladly 
availed  himself  of  Shibanoff"'s  offer,  and  gave  him  money, 
which  the  fine  fellow  indignantly  refused. 

At  the  time  of  his  arrival  at  Moscow  we  are  told  that  the 
"  Tzar  was  humbly  ringing  the  bells,"  but  when  Shibanoff"  was 
brought  into  his  presence  in  the  Red  Vestibule  of  the  Palace, 
and  delivered  the  sealed  packet  with  the  bold  words,  "  From 

^  Karamzin's  "History  of  Russia." 


262 


Church  Bells 


my  master,  and  thine  exile,  the  Prince  Andr^  Kourbsky,"  he 
struck  him  so  violently  on  the  leg  with  his  sharp  sceptre 
(probably  the  very  same  with  which  he  subsequently  killed  his 
darling  and  innocent  son)  that  the  blood  poured  from  the 
wound ;  but  the  gallant  Vasili,  resolved  for  his  master's  sake 
to  endure  whatever  torments  might  be  in  store  for  him,  stood 

silent  and  unmoved. 

The  letter  was  a  very  threatening  one,  and  foretold  all  sorts 
of  calamities  for  the  Tzar,  who  was  now  anxious  to  ascertain 
the  particulars  of  Kourbsky's  flight,  and  especially  if  he  had 
any  companions  of  his  own  nation ;  but  although  the  heroic 
servant  was  subjected  to  tortures  which  only  Ivan  the  Terrible 
could  invent  or  insist  on,  nothing  could  be  elicited  from  him 
but  "  praises  of  his  master,"  and  expressions  of  readiness  and 
gladness  to  die  for  him.  Even  the  cruel  Tzar  himself,  in  his 
answer  to  Kourbsky,  seems  touched,  for  he  upbraids  the  Prince 
with  the  fidelity  of  Shibanoff.  "  Let  thy  servant  Vaska  shame 
thee!"  he  writes;  "he  preserved  his  truth  to  thee  before  the 
Tzar  and  the  people ;  having  given  thee  his  word  of  faith,  he 
kept  it  even  before  the  gates  of  death." 

"And  thus  died  Shibanoff  Stremyanoy!"  concludes  the 
poet,i  in  his  charming  ballad  on  the  subject.  The  torture- 
masters  worked  hard  from  early  morn  till  late  at  night,  one 
succeeding  the  other  when  the  first  was  tired  out ;  yet  Vasili's 
last  words  were  to  implore  the  forgiveness  of  God  for  his 
master's  treachery. 

Our  bell  remained  in  its  temporary  place  of  suspension  for  a 
fortnight,  during  which  time  a  considerable  sum  was  collected 
from  the  workmen  and  peasants  who  wished  to  hear  its  sound, 
which  they  fancied  was  beneficial  for  the  soul  and  conducive 

1  Count  Th.  A.  Tolstoy. 


Church  Bells 


263 


to  salvation.    Each  stroke  cost  three  kopecks  (about  a  penny), 
but  many  of  the  orthodox  offered  more,  and  the  ringer  in- 
dulged the  poor  for  less  or  for  nothing.    Women  brought  flax 
and'^home-spun  linen  of  their  own  handiwork,  and  this,  as  well 
as  the  money,  all  went  to  the  church  treasury.     On  the  15th  of 
January,  at  eleven  o'clock,  we  were  warned  by  a  grand  clatter- 
ing of  the  lesser  bells  (the  old  one  having  been  removed  to 
make  room  for  the  new  one),  that  if  we  wished  to  see  the 
raising  of  the  bell— a  religious  ceremony— we  must  make  haste. 
It  was  a  glorious  day,  "  blue  and  golden,"  with  no  wind,  con- 
sequendy  the  28°  were  endurable.     We  found  a  considerable 
crowd  outside  the  church,  and  feared  that  it  would  be  double 
inside,  but  were  agreeably  surprised  by  the  contrary,  and   I 
was  astonished  to  find  only  one  lady  and  two  little  boys  of  the 
nobles  among  the  whole  congregation.     One  of  the  Priests 
was  reading  an  acathistus  to  the  Virgin,  while  the  others  gra- 
dually  dropped  in,  and  disappeared  behind  the  altar-screen. 

In  the  body  of  the  church  before  the  royal  gates,  stood  a 
low  naloy,  on  which  were  two  candlesticks  with  burning  tapers, 
and  a  large  pewter  sort  of  tureen  containing  holy  water,  or 
rather  water  that  was  destined  to  be  blessed.     There  was  a 
good  deal  of  going  backwards  and  forwards  among  the  Readers 
and  sextons,  and  evident  preparation.  At  last  the  High  Priest— 
who,  in  by  no  means  so  handsome  canonicals  as  I  had  expected 
on  this  occasion,  issued  from  the  royal  gates,  followed  by  three 
other  Priests  and  the  Deacon,  and  placing  himself  before  the 
naloy,  with  his  back  to  the  greater  part  of  the  congregation, 
and  his  face  towards  the  Gates— began  a  moleben,  and  blessed 
the  water  by  plunging  the  cross  in  it  three  times,  each  time 
holding  the  same,  on  taking  it  out  of  the  water,  over  another 
smaller  vessel,  which  the  Deacon  held,  and  allowing  the  drops 


264 


Church  Bells 


to  fall  from  the  cross  into  it :  with  these  drops  the  bell  was 
afterwards  sprinkled. 

The  congregation  now  approached  the  naloy,  and  each,  as 
he  kissed  the  cross,  which  the  High  Priest  held,  was  sprinkled 
by  him  with  water  from  the  first  vessel.  This  is  performed  by 
dipping  a  sort  of  brush,  very  like  those  used  for  whipping 
creams,  into  the  water,  and  by  a  sharp  movement  of  the 
wrist  dispersing  the  drops  on  the  heads  of  the  congregation. 

A  procession  was  immediately  afterwards  formed,  con- 
sisting of  the  clergy  and  Readers,  churchwardens  and  sextons, 
each  with  something  in  his  hand.  Two  Readers  went  before 
with  the  church  banners;  tw^o  sextons  followed  with  horrid, 
dull,  waxed  dropped  lanterns  containing  tapers,  as  candles  in 
the  usual  tall  candlesticks  would  be  liable  to  he  blown  out. 
The  congregation  pressed  forward,  eager  to  obtain  the  nearest 
possible  position  to  the  High  Priest ;  we  lingered  purj^osely, 
and  had  the  best  view  of  all  the  proceedings  from  the  top  of 
the  church  steps,  which  are  upwards  of  twenty  in  number. 
At  their  foot,  with  a  quantity  of  linen  wound  round  it  to  pre- 
vent its  rubbing  when  it  entered  the  belfry,  lay  the  bell,  a 
mystery  of  cordage  and  pulleys  twisted  about  it ;  and  when  I 
looked  at  the  immense  mass,  I  felt  nervously  doubtful  as  to 
whether  the  means  prepared  were  strong  enough  to  raise  it. 
My  companions  experienced  the  same  dread,  and  we  moved 
to  the  left,  lest  the  10,950  lbs.  should  fall  on  our  heads. 

The  High  Priest  read  a  few  prayers  on  reaching  the  bell, 
not  a  word  of  which  was  audible,  and  then  proceeded  to 
sprinkle  it  in  the  manner  I  have  described,  walking  round  it 
as  he  did  so.  The  choir,  with  the  remaining  Priests,  sang 
psalms  and  irmos,  but  the  sound  was  completely  drowned 
by  the  hum  of  voices  and  the  shouts  of  the  workmen  to  each 


Church  Bells 


265 


i 


other  as  they  arranged  the  cordage ;  a  dozen  or  so  of  men 
were  in  the  belfry,  and/z/^  hundred  in  the  street  below,  ready 
to  pull  at  the  cords;  and  when  the  service,  which  did  not 
occupy  more  than  five  minutes,  and  which  was  by  no  means 
striking  in  any  respect,  was  concluded,  a  great  noise  ensued, 
which  ended  in  the  signal  to  begin  pulling  being  given,  and 
in  a  few  seconds  the  huge  mass  began  to  move.  The  blocks, 
however,  were  imperfectly  arranged,  and  they  were  obliged  to 
lower  the  bell  again  while  they  were  being  put  to  rights,  and 
we  had  to  stand  an  extra  ten  minutes  in  the  frost. 

**  And  now  with  many  a  rope  suspending, 

Come,  swing  the  monarch's  weight  on  high, 

By  our  last  toil  its  throne  ascending, 
To  rule  the  azure  canopy. 

Stretch  the  pulley — now  he  springs  ! 

Yet  another — now  he  swings  ! 

Let  him  bid  the  land  rejoice, 

Peace  be  on  his  earliest  voice  ! 

That  offspring  of  consuming  fire 

And  man's  creative  hand, 
High  from  the  summit  of  the  spire 

Shall  murmur  o'er  the  land  ; 
Shall  tell  of  sorrow  to  the  sad, 

Reflection  to  the  wise, 
And  peal  on  rapt  Devotion's  ear 

The  sounds  of  Paradise. 
And  all  his  changeful  fate  brings  down 

On  suffering  man  below, 
Shall  murmur  from  its  metal  crown, 

Or  be  it  joy  or  woe."  ^ 

When  it  begins  to  ascend  again  the  shouts  ceased,  and  the 
1  Lord  Leveson  Gower's  translation  of  Schiller's  **  Song  of  the  Bell." 


266 


Church  Bells 


crowd  made  the  sign  of  the  cross  devoutly,  while  the  melodious 
singing  of  the  choir,  now  agreeably  audible,  accompanied  the 
bell  on  its  rapid  progress  to  its  place  of  final  destination. 

A  great  crashing  of  the  lath  and  plaster  about  the  opening  of 
the  belfry  rather  alarmed  the  crowd,  and  an  attempt  at  a  rush 
was  made,  but  no  harm  was  done,  and  in  a  few  seconds  the 
object  of  our  interest  was  safely  deposited  perpendicularly  on 
the  temporary  floor  prepared  for  it ;  but  it  could  not  be  hung 
for  several  days,  owing  to  the  contrivances  required  for  lifting 
it  in  that  limited  space  being  out  of  order,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  Sunday  following  that  we  heard  its  real  tone.  I  cannot  say 
by  what  law  of  acoustics  it  rang  more  clearly  and  sonorously 
in  its  gallows  than  in  the  belfry,  but  such  is  the  fact ;  every- 
body was  disappointed  in  its  strength  and  sweetness,  but  its 
"  voice"  is  pleasant  enough,  and  of  course  infinitely  preferable 
to  that  of  its  cracked  predecessor. 

My  extract  from  Schiller's  poem  reminds  me  of  the  fate  of 
that  ill-fated  old  bell.  If  I  am  not  mistaken,  the  old  bell  is 
represented  by  Moritz  Retszch,  in  the  last  of  his  charming 
oudine  illustrations  of  that  charming  song,  as  lying  overgrown 
with  brambles  and  grass  in  the  churchyard.  Our  authorities 
are  more  practical — our  old  friend  was  immediately  taken  to 
the  works,  on  its  removal  from  the  belfry,  and  there  broken 
into  small  pieces,  so  that  it  might  be  the  more  readily  trans- 
ported to  Slobodskoy,  there  to  be  refounded. 

No  authority  seems  certain  as  to  the  exact  date  of  the  in- 
troduction of  large  bells  into  Christian  churches,  but  the  gene- 
ral opinion  appears  to  be  that  they  were  invented  by  Paulinus, 
Bishop  of  Nola,  a  town  near  Naples,  about  the  year  400 ;  but 
their  use  was  not  general  until  the  sixth  century.  It  is  to  be 
supposed  that  their  introduction  into  Russia  should  date  from 


Church  Bells 


267 


the  time  of  Vladimir's  conversion,  988,  though  they  were  not 
universal ;  for  we  read  of  certain  wooden,  iron,  or  brass  plates, 
suspended  in  the  enti'ances  of  churches,  being  beaten  for  the 
purpose  of  calling  the  faithful  together  to  prayer.     Even  where 
there  were  real  bells,  they  were  only  rung  on  Sundays  and 
great  feasts,  and  the  plates  made  use  of  on  week  days.     Little 
bells,  however,  were  known  in  the  time  of  Moses,  B.C.  1491, 
as  may  be  seen  in  Exodus  xxviii.  33-35 ;  and,  in  imitation  of 
Aaron's  robe,  the  Bishops  of  the  Greco-Russian  Church  have 
little  tinkling  things  on  their  copes  and  mantles  to  this  day. 
They  are  mentioned  also  by  Zechariah  in  the   fourteenth 
chapter  of  his  prophecy,  twentieth  verse,  as  attributes  of  war 

horses. 

Valdai,  a  town  not  very  far  from  St.  Petersburg,  is  cele- 
brated  for  its  bells,  the  sweetness  and  depth  of  the  tone  of 
which  are  unsurpassed. 

The  use  of  small  bells  in  the  harness  of  post  and  country 
horses  is  universal  in  the  Russian  empire. 


-  \ 


THE  FOURTH  OF  APRIL. 

THE  fourth  of  April,  t866,  and  the  t^venty-fifth  of  May, 
1867,  have  becorrie  important  dates  in  the  history  of 
Russia.  On  both  those  memorable  days  it  pleased  Almighty 
God  to  save  the  life  of  the  Emperor  from  "  the  arrow  that  flieth 
by  day."  The  particulars  of  the  event  at  Paris  are  doubtless 
as  well  known  in  England  as  in  Russia :  it  is  to  the  former 
attempt  therefore  that  I  would  draw  the  attention  of  the 
reader, — a  history  so  strange  and  exciting  that  I  cannot  but 
relate  it  just  as  it  came  to  my  own  knowledge. 

When  first  the  report  that  there  had  been  an  attempt  on  the 
Emperor's  life  reached  us  (isth  April,  o.s.)  everybody  here 
said,  "  Of  course  it  is  those  Poles  again."  "  It  must  be  some 
wretched  Pole  who  is  tired  of  his  life :"  the  bare  possibility 
of  the  criminal  being  a  Russian  never  entered  our  heads ;  and 
this  was  the  feeling  all  over  Russia,  as  may  be  plainly  seen  by 
the  expressions  of  the  various  addresses  of  congratulation  to 
the  Emperor  that  are  published  in  the  newspapers.  This  was 
on  Friday  evening,  and  the  next  day  everybody  was  trying  to 
know  as  much  as  they  could  about  the  shocking  event ;  but  as 
nothing  more  than  a  telegram  from  the  Archbishop  of  Viatka 
to  the  High  Priest  had  been  received,  and  as,  in  consequence 


The  Fourth  of  April 


269 


of  the  thaw,  the  post  is  always  delayed  a  week  or  so  at  that 
time  of  the  year,  we  had  to  wait  as  patiently  as  we  could ; 
and  in  the  meantime  came  the  17th  April,  of  a  triple  holiday 
for  Russia  this  year.  First,  it  is  the  birthday  of  our  beloved, 
amiable,  philanthropic  Alexander  II.;  secondly,  the  silver 
wedding  of  their  Imperial  Majesties  was  to  be  celebrated  on 
the  17th  (the  real  wedding-day  being  the  i6th);  thirdly,  on 
that  day  the  great  new  reform  of  public  tribunals  which  has 
been  so  much  talked  of  and  wished  for,  was  solemnly  estab- 
lished by  the  Emperor  himself  in  presence  of  the  senate,  the 
ministers,  and  other  high  authorities,  in  the  Senate  Hall  at  St. 
Petersburg. 

We  arrived  at  church  on  the  Sunday  in  question  in  very 
good  time,  as  we  supposed ;  the  church  doors  were  wide  open, 
and  the  building  crammed  with  people ;  many  were  standing 
on  the  top  of  the  stone  steps  outside  the  doors ;  the  staircases, 
windows,  and  an  addition  to  the  church  which  is  not  com- 
pleted, were  packed  in  every  possible  place.  The  choir  sing- 
ing "  Mnogia  leta  "  (many  years),  and  the  High  Priest  waving 
the  best  great  cross  at  the  amvon,  just  as  I  reached  the  door, 
made  me  suppose  that  we  were  late,  as  a  Tzarsky  mol^ben 
is  generally  performed  after  Mass ;  and  a  confused  idea  of 
clocks  and  watches  being  wrong,  disappointment  and  curiosity 
mingled  in  my  mind  as  I  asked,  "  Are  we  late  or  early?"  At 
this  moment,  however,  the  High  Priest,  addressing  the  con- 
gregation, said,  "  We  have  just  been  praying  to  God  in  conse- 
quence of  the  Emperor's  birthday.  After  Mass  there  will  be 
another  mol^ben,  the  occasion  of  which  will  then  be  explained 
to  you."  A  murmur  like  the  rustling  of  leaves  in  a  great  forest 
ensued :  it  arose  from  the  whispers  of  one  half  of  the  congre- 
gation to  the  other  half:  "Ah,  that  will  be  the  thanksgiving 


270 


The  Fourth  of  April 


The  Fourth  of  April 


271 


I 


molten  for  the  Emperor's  preservation;"  and  everybody 
seemed  to  brighten  up  with  the  hope  of  hearing  something 
further  of  the  exciting  news. 

Nothing  more,  however,  was  heard  then.  On  the  conclu- 
sion of  Mass,  when  the  clergy  had  taken  their  places  in  the 
body  of  the  church,  one  of  the  Deacons  ascended  the  amvon, 
and  read  in  an  aggravatingly  weak  voice  the  said  telegram, 
which  stated  the  facts  already  known  in  as  few  words  as  pos- 
sible, and  desired  the  thanksgiving  of  the  congregation  for  his 
Imperial  Majesty's  wonderful  preservation.  The  High  Priest 
then  read  a  very  short  address,  which  contained  nothing  more 
than  an  earnest  exhortation  to  love  and  honour  the  Emperor, 
and  to  thank  God  with  all  our  hearts  and  souls  for  preserving 
the  Liberator  to  us.     After  this  the  moleben  began. 

The  thanksgiving  service  of  which  I  now  speak  is  not 
composed  on  purpose  for  every  extraordinary  occasion,  as  for 
instance  similar  "  Forms  of  Prayer  to  Almighty  God "  are  in 
Great  Britain.  It  is  to  be  found  in  every  moleben  book,  and 
may  be  made  use  of  by  any  person.  For  instance,  if  I  hear  of 
the  recovery  from  sickness  of  a  dear  friend,  of  his  safe  arrival 
from  a  journey  or  voyage — in  fact,  on  any  occasion  that  gives 
me  peculiar  joy  and  gratitude — I  go  to  church;  and  after 
sejvice  inform  a  Reader,  Deacon,  or  Priest,  whichever  I  may 
happen  to  meet  first,  of  my  wish.  The  naloy  is  placed  in  a 
convenient  part  of  the  church,  and  the  Priest  comes  out  from 
behind  the  altar-screen  with  his  book  and  the  cross  in  his 
hand.  When  the  Gospel  is  read,  the  Priest  turns  towards  me, 
and  I  and  my  companions  bend  very  low,  while  he  holds  the 
Testament  over  our  heads,  and  intones  rather  loudly.  .  My 
Christian  name,  "  The  servant  of  God,  Peter,  or,  the  handmaid 
of  God,  Ekaterina,"  is  made  use  of  throughout  the  service, 


"^ 


when  I  am  alluded  to ;  at  the  conclusion  I  kiss  the  cross,  and 
place  a  fee  according  to  my  ability  in  the  Priest's  hand. 

This  is  a  private  service ;  but  what  we  have  to  do  with  now 
is   the  solemnly  official  moleben  for  the  Emperor  and  the 
members  of  the  Imperial  family.     It  is  the  imperative  duty 
of  all  officers  in  any  branch  of  the  service,  civil  or  military,  to 
attend  in  full  uniform ;  soldiers,  cozacks.  Government  clerks— 
in  a  word,   all  who   are   in  his   Imperial   Majesty's   service 
—should  be  present  also.     After  Mass  the  royal  gates  are 
not  closed,  and  as  many  Priests,  Deacons,  and  Readers,  as  the 
parish  contains,^  issue  from  them  in  a  procession,  generally 
dressed  in  their  most  gorgeous  canonicals,  and  take  their  place 
in  the  body  of  the  church ;  the  High  Priest  with  his  face 
towards  the  royal  gates,  and  the  others  on  either  side  of  him, 
facing  the  north  and  south  doors.     One  Deacon  stands,  stole 
in  hand,  a  little  behind  the  High  Priest ;  the  other  a  litde  in 
front  of  the  side  Priests,   with  his   face  towards  the  royal 
gates ;  a  Reader  stands  at  a  little  reading-desk,  ready  to  intone 
the  Psalm,  Episde,  &c.     Other  Readers  (as  candle-bearers) 
stand  about  ready  to  perform  their  duty. 

The  High  Priest  begins  by  saying,  "  Glory  to  the  Holy, 
One,  and  Indivisible  Trinity,  always,  now,  henceforth,  and 
for  ever  and  ever." 

Reader.—''  Amen.  O  God  of  Holiness,  Might,  and  Immor- 
tality, save  us  !  Our  Father,  &c.  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us." 
(Twelve  times)  Doxology.  "  O  come  and  bow  down  to  our 
Lord  God."     {Three  times)     And  Psalm  cxviii. 

Then  the  choir  sings,  "  Hallelujah,  hallelujah,  hallelujah ! 
glory  be  to  Thee,  O  God !"  which  is  followed  by  the  foremost 
1  Such  mol^bens  take  place  in  the  principal  or  Cathedral  Church  of  the 
town,  and  the  Mass  is  performed  in  the  other  churches  earlier  than  usual. 


272 


The  Fourth  of  April 


The  Fourth  of  April 


273 


Deacon  chanting  the  usual  Litany,  to  which  are  added  several 
petitions  adapted  to  the  occasion ;  and  especially  to  implore 
Almighty  God  to  graciously  receive  our  hearty  thanks,  and  to 
"  hear  our  present  prayers,  to  assist  us  in  carryiiig  out  our  good 
intentions,  and  to  send  His  grace  on  us  and  on  His  Holy 
Church."  Between  each  sentence  the  choir  sings,  "  Lord,  have 
mercy  upon  us." 

"  We  beseech  Thee  to  preserve  Thy  Holy  Church,  and  Thy 
servant  (So-and-so,  or)  our  most  pious,  autocrat,  and  puissant 
Emperor  Alexander  Nicholaevitch  of  all  the  Russias,  and  all  of 
us,  from  all  grief,  misfortune,  wrath,  and  necessity,  and  from  all 
enemies  visible  and  invisible,  and  to  grant  to  Thy  faithful 
servants,  health,  long  life,  peace,  and  the  Angel  of  the  Lord 
tarrying  round  about  them  for  ever." 

Choir. — "  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us." 

Here  follow  several  short  prayers  of  thanksgiving,  inter- 
spersed with  responses  from  the  Deacon  or  Reader,  after  which 
the  latter  intones  the  Epistle. 

For  general  occasions  they  read  Ephesians  v.  8;  begin- 
ning with   "Walk   as  children  of   light,"   to   "the  fear  of 

God." 

On  Imperial  birthdays  the  second  chapter  of  the  First 
Epistle  to  Timothy  is  appointed,  from  the  ist  to  the  end  of 
the  6th  verse.  On  the  anniversaries  of  victories,  Romans  viii. 
37-39  is  read. 

The  Gospel  is  then  brought  from  the  altar  with  great 
ceremony ;  it  is  carried  by  the  Deacon,  accompanied  by  two 
Readers  with  enormous  lighted  tapers  in  their  hands,  and  he 
places  himself  before  the  High  Priest  with  the  great  book  in 
his  arms,  it  resting  against  his  breast.  The  High  Priest  takes 
off  his  kamiMvka,  a  high  hat  without  a  brim,  made  of  violet 


\ 


velvet,  and  reads  from  the  seventeenth  chapter  of  St  Luke, 
1 2th  to  the  end  of  the  19th  verse. 

Now  follows  the  Special  Litany  for  the  Imperial  Family,  with 
a  repetition  of  the  petitions  made  in  the  former  Litany ;  and 
then  comes  a  prayer,  read  by  the  High  Priest,  in  which  the 
congregation  join  on  their  knees.  Be  it  borne  in  mind  that 
the  Russian  ordinarily  prays  standing,  and  only  in  moments  of 
peculiar  fervour  goes  down  on  his  knees  ;  this,  then,  is  con- 
sidered an  extraordinary  occasion. 

"  O  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  our  God,  the  God  of  all  mercy  and 
bounty,  whose  goodness  is  boundless,  and  whose  love  to 
mankind  is  unfathomable;  we  fall  before  Thy  Majesty,  and 
with  fear  and  trembling  as  unworthy  the  beneficence  and 
compassion  Thou  hast  shown  to  Thy  servant  (Such-an-one,  or 
to  Thy  handmaid  So-and-so),  now  humbly  bring  to  our  Lord, 
Governor  and  Benefactor,  our  praise,  honour,  singing,  and 
glory ;  and  again  falling  before  Thee,  thank  Thee,  and  humbly 
pray  for  Thy  boundless  and  unspeakable  mercy  towards  us. 
And  as  at  the  present  time  Thou  hast  received  the  prayers  of 
Thy  servants,  and  mercifully  answered  them,  so  do  we  now 
implore  Thy  infinite  love  to  guide  us  to  true  virtue,  that  Thy 
faithful  servants  may  continue  to  receive  Thy  benefits ;  that 
Thy  Holy  Church,  and  this  town,  may  be  preserved  from  all 
evil,  and  kept  in  peace  and  quietness  by  Thee,  with  Thy 
Eternal  Father  and  Thy  Consubstantial  Spirit,  to  Whom  all 
thanksgiving  and  praise  be  said  and  sung." 

Immediately  after  this  the  choir  sings  either  "We  praise 
Thee,  O  God,"  or  "Glory  to  God  in  the  highest."  The  Deacon 
goes  to  the  altar,  and  brings  from  thence  the  cross,  which  the 
High  Priest  meets  at  the  amvon,  and  holds  it  before  his  breast 
in  both  hands;  while  the  Deacon,  as  soon  as  the  hymn  is 


274  The  Fourth  of  April 

finished,  chants  in  a  very  loud  voice,  ascending  in  a  chromatic 
scale,  the  petition  for  "  many  years  "  of  health  and  happiness, 
on  behalf  of  the  Emperor  and  the  Imperial  Family.  (This  is 
omitted  in  private  moldbens.)  It  ends  with  the  words,  "  Pre- 
serve him  (or  them)  for  many  years,"  and  the  choir  takes  up 
the  last  words  and  sings  them  to  a  cheerful  melody  nine  times, 
during  which  time  the  High  Priest  signs  the  people  with  the 
cross,  also  nine  times,  towards  the  west,  the  south,  and  the 
north,  each  three  times.  He  then  kisses  the  cross  ;  the  clergy 
approach  in  order  of  seniority,  and  after  them  the  congrega- 
tion, to  do  the  same. 

The  people  were  deeply  affected,  many  shed  tears,  many 
wept,  and  several  sobbed,  crossing  themselves  devoutly,  and 
prostrating  themselves  very  frequently.  Our  place  is  2,000 
versts  from  the  capital,  and  I  do  not  suppose  that  one- 
thousandth  part  of  the  population  (except  the  officers)  have 
ever  seen  the  Emperor. 

On  that  same  Sunday  came  the  post;  and  little  by  little,  as 
succeeding  posts  came  in,  and  private  letters  were  received 
from  St.  Petersburg,  our  curiosity  became  in  a  degree  satisfied; 
but  the  public  mind  continued  in  a  state  of  restless  excite- 
ment until  the  fate  of  the  would-be  regicide  was  decided,  and 
the  conclusion  of  the  whole  matter  made  known.  And  this  is 
the  beginning  of  it. 

On  Monday,  4th  April,  a  young  journeyman  cap  and  hat 
maker  left  his  home  to  perform  a  mole'ben  for  his  own  health 
and  prosperity  at  a  little  chapel  that  has  long  been  established 
in  the  log-house  that  Peter  the  Great  built  for  himself  when 
first  he  began  to  found  the  new  capital  of  Russia.  It  was  the 
young  man's  nami s-day—\ki2X  is,  the  holiday  of  the  saint 
whose  name  he  bears,  "  St.  Joseph  the  Psalm  Writer,"  and  he 


The  Fourth  of  April 


275 


had  of  course  been  allowed  to  absent  himself  from  work.  On 
arriving  at  the  bridge  that  leads  to  the  island  on  which  the 
log-house  stands,  he  found  that  it  had  been  removed  in  conse- 
quence of  the  expected  break-up  of  the  Neva,  and  that  his 
expedition  to  the  chapel  was  out  of  the  question.  He  there- 
fore turned  his  steps  along  the  Palace  Quay,  and  when  he 
reached  the  gates  of  the  Summer  Garden,  a  favourite  place 
of  resort  in  spring,  he  saw  one  of  the  Imperial  carriages 
standing  there,  and  guessing  rightly  that  the  Emperor  was 
walking  in  the  garden,  he  strolled  in  to  get  a  glimpse  of  him. 
All  his  endeavours,  however,  were  fruitless;  for  when  he 
entered  one  alley,  the  Emperor  turned  into  another ;  and  if  he 
waited  at  the  corner  of  a  third,  his  Imperial  Majesty  would 
take  a  short  cut  by  a  fourth.  So  he  went  to  the  gates,  and 
established  himself  as  near  the  carriage  as  he  could,  so  as  to 
see  him  when  he  came  out  of  the  garden. 

It  was  about  four  o'clock.  There  was  a  little  crowd  already 
waiting  also,  and  among  them  was  one  young  man  who  parti- 
cularly annoyed  our  cap-maker  by  pushing  and  crowding  him. 
He  was  dressed  in  the  style  that  has  lately  become  popular 
with  extra-national  young  men  of  the  fast  description — a  red 
shirt,  trousers  stuffed  into  his  boots,  and  a  grey  paletot,  in  the 
front  pocket  of  which  he  kept  his  right  hand  all  the  time. 
Shortly  afterwards  the  Emperor  appeared,  accompanied  by  his 
nephew  and  niece,  the  Duke  of  Leuchtenberg  and  the  Princess 
of  Baden.  He  stood  for  a  moment  at  the  steps  of  the  carriage 
to  put  on  an  upper  coat,  and  just  then  a  shriek  was  heard, 
followed  instantaneously  by  the  report  of  a  pistol.  The  young 
man  in  the  grey  paletot  had  shot  at  the  Emperor,  and  the 
cap-maker  had  been  the  instrument  of  the  Almighty  in  averting 
the  death-blow.     The  villain  attempted  to  run,  but  was  of 


276 


The  Fottrth  of  April 


course  caught  immediately,  and  the  crowd  fell  on  him  with 
cries  of  fury  and  indignation,  tearing  his  clothes,  hair,  and 
beard,  and  dealing  him  blows  with  stick  or  fist ;  but  this  was 
only  for  a  few  seconds.  The  Emperor,  with  the  calm  presence 
of  mind  that  distinguishes  him,  went  up  to  them,  putting  them 
aside  with  the  words,  "  Leave  him  alone,  children;"  and  every 
hand  fell,  except  those  of  the  police,  who  had  already  secured 
him.  "Who  art  thou?"  the  Emperor  asked  of  him.  "A 
Russian."  "  A  Russian  ?"  repeated  the  Tzar ;  "  then  why  did 
you  want  to  kill  meV  "Because  you  took  away  our  land." 
He  wanted  to  play  the  part  of  a  peasant,  but  of  course  failed. 
Beneath  the  red  shirt  was  another  of  the  finest  Holland  Hnen, 
and  in  the  pockets  of  the  grey  paletot  were  found  papers  that 
led  to  the  arrest  of  upwards  of  a  hundred  persons.  The 
Emperor  ordered  him  to  be  led  away  immediately  to  the 
Chief  of  the  Gendarmes  ;  and  he  himself  drove  straight  to  the 
Kazan  Church,  to  return  thanks,  by  a  private  moleben,  to 
Almighty  God  for  his  escape  from  death.  The  Duke  of 
Leuchtenberg  and  his  sister  went  to  the  Winter  Palace,  and 
walked  straight  into  the  Hall  of  Imperial  Council,  where  there 
happened  to  be  a  meeting  of  its  members,  and  informed  them 
of  what  had  happened,  and  they  assembled  in  the  private 
chapel  that  is  attached  to  the  palace  to  return  thanks  on  their 
part  In  the  meantime  his  Imperial  Majesty  had  returned 
home,  and  immediately  after  the  moleben  the  members 
offered  him  their  congratulations ;  he  then  went  a  second  time, 
accompanied  by  the  Empress,  and  their  Imperial  family,  to 
the  Kazan  Church.  On  his  second  return  home  he  had  .an 
impromptu  reception  of  the  generals,  adjutants,  and  other 
officers  on  duty  in  the  palace ;  ministers,  senators,  and  in  fact 
everybody  who  has  admission  to  court,  and  who  had  heard  of 


The  Fourth  of  April 


277 


the  event  of  that  memorable  afternoon.  The  first  words  that 
the  Emperor  spoke  after  the  usual  acknowledgments  of  their 
enthusiastic  demonstrations  of  loyalty,  were  to  ask  who  was  his 
preserver.  General  Todtleben  (the  Sevastopol  hero),  who  was 
with  the  Emperor  in  the  summer  garden,  had  taken  the  cap- 
maker under .  his  protection,  seated  him  in  his  carriage,  and 
brought  him  to  the  palace,  and  he  now  presented  the  bewildered 
but  delighted  young  man  to  the  Emperor,  who  embraced  and 
kissed  him  three  times,  thanking  him  for  his  good  service,  and 
turning  to  the  assembled  multitude,  said,  "  Gentlemen,  I  cannot 
but  make  the  preserver  of  my  life  a  noble.  What  do  you  say?" 
to  which  they  replied  with  shouts  of  hurrah  in  hearty  assent. 
They  then  learned  that  his  name  was  Joseph  Komisdroflf  (Osip 
Ivanovitch  they  call  him  in  Russ),  that  he  was  a  former  serf  of 
Baron  Kister,  that  he  was  born  in  his  former  owner's  village  of 
Molvitino,  in  the  Government  of  Kostroma,  not  more  than 
twelve  versts'  distance  from  Domnino,  the  birthplace  of  Susanin, 
who,  by  a  noble  act  of  the  most  complete  self-sacrifice  that 
exists  in  the  pages  of  any  history,  saved  the  life  of  the  founder 
of  the  present  reigning  family  of  Romanoff,  in  16 13. 

He  was  made  to  tell  his  own  tale,  which  he  did  with  a 
modest  self-possession  that  much  pleased  his  listeners  \  these 
are  his  own  words  : — 

"  I  do  not  know,  and  cannot  tell  what  it  was,  that  made  my 
heart  beat  in  an  unusual  manner  at  the  sight  of  that  man,  when 
I  observed  him  pressing  towards  the  frOnt  of  the  crowd.  I 
could  not  keep  myself  from  watching  him,  though  I  forgot  all 
about  him  when  I  saw  that  the  Emperor  was  approaching, 
until  he  pushed  me  roughly  aside,  and  left  me  just  behind  his 
right  arm.  Then  I  saw  that  he  drew  a  pistol  out  of  his  pocket 
and  aimed  it  at  the  Emperor,  but  I  knocked  his  arm  up  just 


278 


The  Fourth  of  April 


as  he  must  have  let  the  cock  fall,  for  he  shot  in  the  air.  After 
that  I  cannot  remember  anything  at  all  until  I  felt  myself  being 
kissed  by  a  general '}  but  still  I  was  confused  and  stunned, 
and  my  tongue  would  not  serve  me.  I  only  came  to  my  senses 
fully,  and  recovered  my  speech,  in  an  hour  or  two  after- 
wards." 

Is  not  truth  always  stranger  than  fiction !  What  is  fiction 
but  an  imitation  of  the  truth  ?  He  who  left  his  humble  lodging 
(which  he  shared  with  several  other  fellow-workmen)  in  the 
morning  only  a  poor  foreman  to  a  cap-maker,  returns  to  his 
frightened  young  wife  a  noble  !  kissed,  embraced,  and  thanked 
in  the  warmest  terms  by  the  Tzar  himself,  by  all  the  grand 
dukes,  ministers,  senators  and  generals ;  laden  with  promises, 
favours,  and  gratitude.  An  hour  or  two  after  he  had  been 
brought  to  the  palace  he  was  sent  with  two  aides-de-camp  for 
his  wife,  in  one  of  the  Imperial  carriages.  When  they  arrived  (it 
was  evidently  a  preconcerted  plan  between  Komisdroff  and  his 
companions)  Osip  Ivanovitch  waited  in  the  corridor  with  one  of 
the  officers,  while  the  other  entered  the  lodgings.  The  fellow- 
workmen,  surprised,  and  probably  alarmed  at  the  sudden  ap- 
pearance of  such  a  dazzling  spectacle  as  that  of  "an  Imperial 
aide-de-camp,  started  from  their  seats,  and  stood  still  like  posts. 

"Does  Osip  Ivanovitch  KomisdrofF  live  here?"  asked  the 
aide-de-camp. 

"  Yes,  your  High  Nobility,"  answered  one  of  the  men ;  "  but 
he  is  not  at  home.  He  went  to  church  this  morning,  and  has 
not  returned  yet." 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear  it,  because  I  want  to  see  him  very 
much.     Where  is  his  wife  ?  " 

**  She's  gone  to  bed." 

*  Todtleben. 


The  Fourth  of  April 


279 


"  May  I  trouble  you  to  wake  her?"  said  the  aide-de-camp. 

"  Directly,  your  High  Nobility ;"  and  the  speaker  went  to 
rouse  the  unconscious  sleeper,  while  the  other  men  stood 
staring  at  the  visitor. 

Mrs.  Komisdroff  soon  appeared ;  she  did  not  know  what  to 
conjecture  on  beholding  such  a  guest,  but  supposed  that  some- 
thing dreadful  had  happened,  particularly  as  her  husband  was 
so  long  from  home.  She  answered  the  questions  put  to  her 
by  the  aide-de-camp;  but  the  last  must  have  seemed  very 
strange — "  Do  you  love  your  husband  ?" 

"  Of  course  I  do,  your  High  Nobility,"  replied  she,  sincerely 
and  simply ;  "  he  is  my  husband,  and  we  live  very  comfortably 
together." 

"  Well,  if  you  love  him  so  much,  go  and  open  the  door  for 
him."  She  obeyed  instantly,  and  KomisdrofF  and  the  other 
aide-de-camp  entered  the  room.  On  seeing  her  husband  in 
such  company  the  poor  girl  became  alarmed,  supposing  he  was 
under  arrest  for  some  unheard-of  crime.  "  Tchto  t'i  eto  nadelalV 
she  exclaimed  in  horror;  which  may  be  translated— "  What 
have  you  been  and  gone  and  done  ?" 

"  Nothing,  nothing,  Lisa,"  said  he  soothingly ;  "  but  dress 
yourself  quickly  and  come  with  us."  He  would  not  answer 
any  more  questions  until  she  was  ready.  She  hurried  on  her 
"  things  ;"  but  when  she  gat  into  the  street  and  saw  the  grand 
carriage,  the  footmen  and  gendarmes  that  accompanied  the 
party,  she  fainted  away  with  fright.  But  she  was  finally  brought 
to  the  palace  all  right,  and  led  into  the  most  splendid  room 
imaginable. 

"  Here  they  placed  us  side  by  side,"  relates  KomisdrofF, 
"and  we  could  not  come  to  our  senses  for  delight;  when  all 
at  once  the  doors  opened  and  the  Emperor  and  Empress  came 


:'^,**y  ■-»»^' 


28o 


The  Fourth  of  April 


in  and  walked  straight  up  to  us,  the  Emperor  to  me,  and  the 
Empress  to  Lisa,  and  kissed  us  in  the  most  affectionate  manner. 
*  Thou  savedst  my  life,'  said  the  Emperor,  *  and  for  that  I  make 
thee  a  noble. — I  think,  gentlemen,  that  he  deserves  it,'  said 
he,  speaking  to  the  people  present.  And  they  all,  when  they 
heard  these  gracious  words,  began  to  shout  hurrah."  A  few 
days  afterwards  they  were  again  summoned  to  the  palace,  and 
this  time  Lisa  was  dressed  in  the  national  costume  of  a  Boy- 
arinia  of  the  Government  of  Kostroma :  the  Empress  granted 
her  a  pension  for  life  as  a  token  of  gratitude  towards  Komisd- 
roff.  To  distinguish  him  from  others  of  the  same  name,  the 
Emperor  desired  the  additional  name  of  Kostromskoy  (in  allu- 
sion to  his  native  Government,  which  has,  by  a  curious  coin- 
cidence, given  two  preservers  to  the  Tzars)  to  follow  that  of 
Komisdroff.  Louis  Napoleon  sent  him  the  Cross  of  the  Legion 
of  Honour;  and  other  sovereigns  of  Europe  have  conferred 
marks  of  their  distinction  on  him.  A  subscription  was  immedi- 
ately got  up  in  St.  Petersburg  to  enable  the  new  noble  to  take 
his  stand  among  his  fellows.  Nine  thousand  silver  roubles  were 
collected  in  a  few  hours.  Contributions,  some  of  the  most 
substantial  kind,  others,  the  touching  originality  of  which  can- 
not but  provoke  a  smile,  poured  in  from  all  corners  of  the 
Empire.  Countless  towns  presented  Osip  Ivanovitch  with  the 
freedom  thereof ;  a  landed  proprietor,  who  owns  a  vast  estate 
near  Molvitino,  made  him  a  gift  of  780  ddsiatins^  of  land;  a 
merchant  gave  him  a  house ;  the  society  of  a  certain  town,  the 
name  of  which  I  forget,  sent  him  a  troika  of  horses ;  the  work- 
men of  the  Government  factory  at  Toula  sent  him  a  magnifi- 
cent gun  of  their  own  workmanship ;  Ekatrineburg  sent  a  seal 

^  A  (lesiatin  is  equal  to  two  and  a  half  acres. 


I 


The  Fourth  of  April 


281 


of  the  most  exquisite  mountain  crystal,  with  Susanin  engraved 
on  it ;  and  a  boot-maker  at  St.  Petersburg  announced  his  in- 
tention of  keeping  Osip  Ivanovitch  shod  gratis. 

This  favourite  of  fortune  was  consigned  to  the  care  of  Gene- 
ral Todtleben  by  the  Emperor  himself,  to  be  taught  to  be  a 
gentleman,  and  ultimately  made  an  ensign  in  his  Imperial 
Majesty's  regiment  of  Shooters.  The  wife  was  a  peasant  girl, 
and  at  the  time  we  are  speaking  of  they  had  one  little  child,  a 
baby  girl  of  eight  months  old. 

It  would  be  a  hard  task  to  enumerate  one-fiftieth  part  of  the 
number  of  deputations,  dinners,  demonstrations,  and  addresses 
that  the  Russian  papers  chronicled  in  connexion  with  this 
affair.  The  poor  Moscow  students,  for  instance,  miserable  and 
enraged  to  hear,  on  publication  of  the  examination  of  the 
criminal,  that  he  had  wished  to  be  one  of  them  during  the  past 
year,  and  had  even  written  his  name  on  the  university  books, 
though  he  had  never  attended  any  of  the  lectures,  got  up  a  regu- 
lar sight  of  themselves.  They  went  in  a  body  to  have  a  moleben 
performed  in  the  church  of  our  Lady  of  Iver,  and  then  formed 
a  procession  and  marched  about  the  old  city,  chanting  the 
national  hymn,  and  endeavouring  to  show  to  the  utmost  their 
loyalty  and  their  deep  gratitude  to  God  for  the  preservation  of 
their  beloved  sovereign.  Of  course  they  sent  him  an  address.  At 
the  theatres  no  piece  could  be  performed  at  St.  Petersburg  or 
Moscow  without  the  Hymn  preceding  it,  the  audience  joining  in 
enthusiastic  chorus.  The  excitement  of  the  play-goers  was  at  its 
highest  pitch  when  the  Emperor,  a  few  days  after  "  the  4th," 
appeared  at  the  Great  Theatre :  on  this  occasion  the  Hymn  was 
sung  nine  times,  and  a  very  popular  Russian  opera  was  given,  as 
being  a-propos  to  the  feelings  of  the  public.  It  is  called  "  Life 
for  the  Tzar,"  and  has  for  its  subject  the  story  of  Susanin.    Osip 


282 


The  Fourth  of  April 


Ivanovitch,  with  his  wife  and  relatives,  occupied  a  box  when 
the  second  representation  took  place,  and  was  soon  recognised. 
That  was  enough  for  the  excitable  Russians,  and  nothing  would 
do  for  them  but  to  have  him  out.  The  noise  became  so  intense 
that  the  manager  went  to  KomisdrofF  Kostromskoy's.  box  and 
begged  him  to  humour  the  public,  as  he  did  not  know  how  to 
quiet  them  otherwise.     He  assented,  and  presently  appeared 
among  the  actors  and  actresses,  all  eager  to  press  his  hand;  the 
shouts  and  applause  increased  rather  than  otherwise,  and  Osip 
Ivanovitch,  "unaccustomed  as  he  was  to  public"  appearing,  was 
quite  distressed  at  this  demonstration.   The  curtain  was  lowered, 
but  as  the  row  became  still  greater  it  was  obliged  to  be  raised 
again.     Fresh  transports  !  It  was  too  much  for  his  nerves,  and 
he  exclaimed,  "  I  shall  faint !"  as,  seizing  his  temples  with  both 
hands,  he  rushed  from  the  stage  to  give  way  to  a  burst  of  sob- 
bing.    The  manager  informed  the  public  that  Mr.  Komis^roff 
Kostromsky  was  indisposed,  and  the  piece  went  on  quietly. 
But  they  would  not  let  the  second  act  be  performed:  they  were 
brimful  of  patriotism,  and  the  scene  of  the  second  act  is  laid  in 
Poland,  with  Polish  dances,  &c.  (the  music  of  which,  by-the- 
bye,  is  exquisite).     In  conclusion,  when  the  last  chords  of  the 
beautiful  finale  died   away,  the  audience  were  treated  to  a 
demonstration  on  the  part  of  the  actors.     They  disappeared 
for  one  instant,  merely  while  the  curtain  fell  and  rose  again, 
and  entered  the  stage  carrying  a  large  portrait  of  the  Emperor, 
which  they  placed  in  front  and  then  sang  the  Hymn,  to  which 
all,  actors,  actresses,  and  audience,  joined  their  voices,  abso- 
lutely going  down  on  their  knees  in  their  ecstasy  of  loyalty,  for 
the  Hymn  is,  in  reality,  2.J>rayer  for  the  Emperor. 

Having  made   so    frequent    allusion    to    Susanin,  and  as 
perhaps  his  name,  so  famous  in  Russian  story,  may  have  been 


The  Fourth  of  April 


28 


** 
J 


mentioned  In  connexion  with  that  of  KomisirofF  Kostromskoy 
even  in  the  English  papers,  it  seems  almost  imperative  to  tell 
the  tale  how  he  saved  the  life  of  a  Tzar. 

Russia  had  been  in  a  miserable  state  for  many  years.  Ivan 
the  Terrible  had  long  finished  his  terrible  course;  his  little 
son,  St.  Dmitry,  had  been  murdered  at  Ooglitch ;  and  a  long 
train  of  disorders,  civil  wars,  and  their  attendant  troubles,  with 
several  changes  of  Tzars  chosen  from  the  connexions  of  the 
true  Ruric  race  (St.  Dmitry  being  the  last  of  his  line),  not  one 
of  whom  gave  complete  satisfaction  to  his  subjects,  brought 
things  to  a  crisis;  and  at  last,  by  the  vigorous  efforts  of 
Prince  Pojarsky's  sword  and  eloquence,  order  was  in  some 
degree  established,  and  the  real  heir,  a  youth  of  sixteen,  traced 
out  and  invited  to  be  Tzar.  Educated  in  a  monastery, 
Mikhael  Feodorovitch  hesitated  for  some  time  ere  he  accepted 
the  arduous  task;  but  when  the  boyarins  proved  to  him 
beyond  a  doubt  that  he  and  his  father  were  the  nearest  heirs, 
and  that,  as  his  father  was  a  monk,  the  choice  must  fall  on 
him,  he  submitted ;  and  bidding  farewell  to  the  Hypatieffsky 
monastery,  took  up  his  abode  at  an  estate  in  the  Government 

of  Kostroma. 

The  Poles,  who  even  then  were  on  unfriendly  terms  with 
Russia,  were  vexed  at  the  nomination  of  Mikhael  to  the 
throne,  because  they  hoped  to  take  advantage  of  the  unsettled 
state  of  the  country,  and  to  get  possession  of*  it,  which  they 
had  long  been  trying  to  do.  A  band  of  clever  fellows  was 
sent  to  Kostroma,  to  murder,  as  quietly  as  they  could,  the 
youthful  Tzar,  as  the  surest  and  shortest  road  to  gaining  their 
ends.  On  reaching  the  neighbourhood  of  the  city  they  sepa- 
rated into  small  parties,  with  the  intention  of  asking  their  way 
to  the  Romanoffs'  estate,  and  meeting  there  to  accomplish 


284 


The  Fourth  of  April 


their  mission.  The  party  that  happened  to  take  the  right  road 
met  with  a  peasant  of  the  village  of  Domnino,  Ivan  Susanin  by 
name,  and  they  addressed  themselves  to  him  for  the  needful 
information.  The  man  was  a  sharp  fellow,  and  instantly 
guessed,  by  their  dress  and  pronunciation,  that  they  were 
Poles,  and  knowing  that  the  people  were  no  well-wishers  to 
Russia  he  suspected  at  once  foul  play,  although  they  told  him 
that  they  had  been  sent  to  the  Tzar  on  important  business. 
He  pretended,  however,  to  undertake  the  guidance  of  the 
party  to  the  estate,  which  he  represented  as  being  a  long  way 
off,  though  it  was  not  more  than  a  verst  or  two.  It  was  in  the 
winter,  bitterly  cold,  and  a  dreadful  snow-storm  was  drifting ; 
he  persuaded  them  first  of  all  to  enter  his  house,  where  he 
regaled  them  to  the  best  of  his  power,  gave  them  strong  drinks 
to  induce  sleep,  and  in  the  meantime  contrived  to  send  a 
faithful  messenger  to  Mikhael,  to  warn  him  of  danger,  and  to 
recommend  his  leaving  his  present  residence  secretly.  Well 
warmed,  fed,  and  refreshed  by  a  few  hours'  sleep,  the  ruffians 
soon  after  midnight  set  forth  with  Susanin,  whom  they  promised 
to  load  with  gold  if  he  led  them  in  safety  to  the  Tzar.  He 
conducted  them  by  by-paths  into  the  thickest  and  most  im- 
penetrable part  of  the  forest,  and,  having  thoroughly  exhausted 
them,  began  to  express  a  doubt  of  finding  the  right  road.  As 
day  dawned,  they  got  out  of  patience  with  him,  and  accused 
him  of  deceiving  them.  Susanin,  now  quite  sure  that  the  Tzar 
was  in  safety,  and  knowing  that  it  was  next  to  impossible  for 
the  Poles  to  find  their  way  out  of  the  forest,  boldly  replied, 
*'  No,  you  deceive  yourselves  !  You  thought  I  would  sell  my 
Tzar  to  you.  But  God  has  strengthened  me,  and  the  Tzar 
Mikhael  is  saved."  Hereupon  the  ruffians  began  to  torture 
him,  and  in  fact  literally  chopped  him  to  pieces ;  but  his  last 


The  Fourth  of  April 


285 


words  were,  "  I  would  rather  die  than  be  a  traitor,  and  God 
will  receive  my  soul."     Most  of  the  party  died  in  that  forest, 
of  cold,  hunger,  and  fatigue,  and  the  few  that  crawled  out 
alive  told  this  tale  of  heroism.     Mikhael  Feodorovitch  richly 
rewarded  the  family  of  his  preserver.     He  gave  a  large  tract  of 
land  to  the  daughter  and  son-in-law  of  Susanin  (he  had  no 
son),  and  to  their  heirs  for  ever.     They  are  called  to  this  day 
the  Belopashtzi — the  name  that  was  then  given  them,  and  they 
still  enjoy  the  privileges  then  granted  them.     They  pay  no 
taxes,  and  are  exempt  from  military  service.    Their  numbers  at 
the  present  time  amount  to  about  four  hundred  persons,  who 
are  employed  principally  in  agricultural  pursuits. 

The  similarity  of  the  merits  of  these  two  men  of  course  con- 
sists merely  in  the  fact  that  both  were  instrumental  in  saving 
the  life  of  a  sovereign ;  but  as  to  comparing  the  mere  instinct 
that  compelled  Komisiroff  to  knock  up  the  assassin's  arm  to 
the  noble  self-sacrifice  of  Susanin,  it  is  of  course  out  of  the 
question,  and  the  particulars  I  have  related  are  merely  meant 
to  show  how  strongly  and  loyally  our  Alexander  II.  is  loved 
and  valued  by  his  people,  as  is  proved  by  the  manner  in  which 
they  honour  his  preserver.     At  the  same  time  I  cannot  but 
express  my  conviction  that,  had  Osip  Ivanovitch  known  that  the 
bullet  he  turned  from  the  Emperor  must  pierce  his  own  heart, 
he  would  not  have  hesitated  one  instant,  nor  any  other  man, 
woman,  or  child  in  Holy  Russia  !  - 

As  for  the  mistaken,  unhappy,  guilty  wretch  who  dared  raise 
his  hand  against  his  sovereign— and  such  a  sovereign  as 
Alexander  the  Liberator  is— it  is,  alas  !  alas  !  too  true  that  he 
really  was  a  Russian — a  pravoslavny^  Russian  subject.  How 
the  newspapers  did  try,  to  be  sure,  to  prove  that  he  was  of 

1  Orthodox. 


286 


The  Fourth  of  April 


Tartar  origin !  and  we  have,  at  any  rate,  the  satisfaction  of 
tracing  his  name  "  Karokozoff "  to  two  Tartar  or  Turkish 
words, — karo,  black,  and  koza,  an  eye  or  a  sheep ;  (so  that  in 
Enghsh  his  name  means  a  black  sheep  !)  which  combination, 
like  many  Tartar  and  other  foreign  names,  have,  in  the  course 
of  time,  and  by  the  addition  of  the  off  (sign  of  the  genitive 
plural  masculine)  become  Karokozoff.  The  Tartars  are  in  the 
habit  of  giving  each  other  a  nickname,  in  accordance  with 
personal  appearance  or  peculiarity,  and  it  is  doubtless  such  a 
cognomen  that  is  the  root  of  this  now  unhappily  notorious 
name.  The  kind-hearted  Emperor  expressed  his  intention  of 
conferring  another  name  on  the  relatives  of  the  would-be 
assassin,  and  on  any  other  persons  who  may  bear  the  same ; 
furthermore  he  strictly  enjoined  that  no  slights,  insults,  or 
injustice  may  be  shown  towards  such  persons,  as  they  are 
wholly  exempt  from  all  participation  in  the  crime  of  their 
relative. 

The  son  of  a  landed  proprietor,  and  left  an  orphan  at  the 
age  of  two  years,  Dmitry  Vladimirovitch  Karokozoff,  having 
completed  the  course  of  education  in  the  Gymnasium,  was 
placed  in  the  university  of  Kazan,  from  whence  he  was  ex- 
pelled for  "  unlawful  proceedings."  From  Kazan  he  went  to 
Moscow,  and  entered  his  name  there  as  student,  but  as  he  did 
not  attend  one  university  lecture,  nor  even  complete  all  the 
formalities,  the  Moscow  students  may  with  truth  deny  that  he 
was  of  their  number.  He  appears  to  have  been  of  a  gloomy 
and  hypochondriacal  disposition,  and  was  so  disgusted  with 
life  a  few  months  before  the  event  in  question  that  he  asked 
an  acquaintance  for  some  opium.  He  arrived  at  St.  Petersburg 
from  Moscow  on  the  2d  April,  and  took  a  small  room  in  the 
well-known  hotel  called  Znamensky,  where  he  left,  on  the  4th, 


The  Fourth  of  April 


287 


a  small  mahogany  box  and   some  upper  clothing.     On  the 
floor  was  found  a  letter  torn  up  to  the  minutest  shreds— not 
so  minute,  however,  but  that  they  were  re-united.     It  was 
addressed   to  a  distant  relative  of  the  writer,   and  he  was 
sent  for  with  all  speed  from  Moscow.     The  poor  man  was 
utterly  at  a  loss  to  imagine  what  he  could  be  wanted  for  at  St. 
Petersburg,  and  still  more  so  when  informed  that  his  testi- 
mony was  required  towards  clearing  up  some  facts  relative  to 
the  4th  of  April.     He  protested  that  he  did  not  know  any- 
body  at  St.  Petersburg,  "  except,  indeed,  a  young  relative  who 
went  there  a  little  while  ago."    That  young  relative  was  the 
criminal !    When  he  was  brought  into  the  room  where  Karo- 
kozoff was  confined,  he  burst  into  tears,  trembling  from  head 
to  foot,  and  exclaiming,  "Oh,  Dmitry!  is  that  thou?     My 
God  !  is  it  possible?"   He  had  been  carefully  kept  in  ignorance 
of  the  probability  of  the  "  young  relative "  turning  out  to  be 
the  principal  actor  in  the  events  of  the  day.     The  investiga- 
tion of  the  whole  affair  was  entrusted  to  Count  Mouravioff, 
the  brother  of  the  well-known  hero  of  Kars,  who  said,  on 
receiving  the    important  commission,    "  I   will    get    at    the 
bottom  of  it,  if  I  have  to  lay  down  my  bones  in  the  attempt." 
He  did  get  to  the  bottom  of  it,  but  alas  !  he  had  to  lay  down 
his  bones  for  it !     On  the  29th  of  August  following,  a  few  days 
before  the  final  sentence  was  pronounced  on  the  chief  actor 
in  the  affair  and  a  supposed  acc6mpHce,   Count  Mouravioff 
suddenly  expired ;  and  though  it  was  not  officially  announced 
that  his  death  was  caused  by  poison,  vox  populi  unanimously 
declares  such  to  be  the  case,  and,  as  no  official  contradictions 
of  the  report  were  published,  it  is  received  by  most  persons  as 
an  undisputed  fact.     His  body  was  brought  from  his  country 
seat  to  be  buried  in  the  cemetery  of  St.  Alexander'  Neffsky,  a 


/, 


288 


The  Fourth  of  April 


St.  Petersburg,  and  the  Emperor  paid  the  highest  respect  to 
his  memory  of  attending  his  funeral,  commanding  the  soldiery 
himself,  and  conversing  with  the  Count's  widow  in  the  kindest 
manner. 

On  the  31st  of  August,  Karokozoff,  proven  guilty  of  at- 
tempted regicide,  and  of  belonging  to  a  society  contrary  to 
religion,   government,   morals,  and  human  nature,  was  con- 
demned to  death  by  hanging.     At  the  same  time  sentence 
was  given   concerning  the   supposed  accomplice— by  name 
Alexandre  Kobylin,  a  young  medical  man  attached  to  a  mili- 
tary hospital  at  St.  Petersburg.     He  was  accused  of  knowing 
of  Karokozoff's  intention,  and  of  concealing  the  same ;  also  of 
having  supplied  him  with  a  horrible  poison,  that  would  not 
only  kill  him  instantaneously  after  the  committal  of  his  crime, 
but  completely  disfigure  his  face.     Karokozoff  at  first  main- 
tained so  obstinate  a  silence  that  he  might  have  been  supposed 
to  be  a  mute;  all  endeavours  to  take  his  photograph  were 
unavaihng,  on  account  of  the  hideous  grimaces  by  which  he 
disfigured  his  countenance;   but  he  found  his  tongue  when 
questioned  about  this  poor  young  man,  and  told  so  many  fibs 
concerning  him,  that  at  one  time  it  was  thought  he  was  indeed 
implicated  in  the  business,  but  it  turned  out  in  the  course  of 
the  examinations  that  Karokozoff  had  introduced-  himself  to 
Kobylin  under  a  false  name,  and  under  the  pretext  of  requiring 
medical  advice,  and  that  he  stole  some  poison  that  Kobylin  had 
brought  from  the  hospital  for  the  purpose  of  making  some  ex- 
periments  on  animals.     This  poison  was  submitted  to  analysis, 
and  found  to  be  incapable  of  kiUing  a  man  instantaneously, 
or  of  disfiguring  his  corpse,  and,  in  a  word,  the  unfortunate 
young  doctor,  whose  only  fault  was  not  demanding  the  pass- 
port of  his  patient,  and  who  for  several  months  had  been 


The  Fourth  of  April 


289 


regarded  by  all  Russia  with  the  horror  and  indignation  due  to 
his-  supposed  crimes,  was  completely  cleared  of  all  implication 
in  Karokozoffs  business,  and  set  at  liberty  without  a  stain  on 
his  character. 

Not  so,  however,  the  regicide's  real  accomplices,  who,  to 
the  number  of  thirty-four,  were  traced  out,  brought  to  judg- 
ment, and' ultimately  condemned  to  divers  degrees  of  punish- 
ment, according  to  the  extent  of  the  guilt  of  each.  All,  with 
the  exception  of  two,  described  as  "  teachers/'  i.e.  masters, — 
one  of  whom  was  fifty,  the  other  thirty-three  years  of  age, — 
were  under  thirty,  and  twenty-six  of  the  number  varied  from 
nineteen  to  twenty-three.  Almost  each  one  was  accused  of 
some  one  crime  in  particular,  but  the  principal  accusation 
against  them  all  in  general  was  their  participation  in  the 
formation  of  a  society  called  by  the  awful  name  of  Hell, — 
an  appellation  perfectly  in  accordance  with  its  detestable 
principles, — regicidal,  revolutionary,  socialistic,  murderous,  and 
godless  to  the  last  degree.  It  had  been  forming  ever  since 
1863,  but  its  doings  were  principally  confined  to  making  plans 
only,  which  fortunately  were  not  all  put  into  execution.  No- 
thing was  too  shocking  to  religion,  morals,  and  the  human 
heart,  for  it  to  seize  on  as  means  of  attaining  an  end;  two 
instances  out  of  the  many  will  suffice  for  the  English  reader 
to  comprehend,  in  a  degree,  the  wickedness  of  this  secret 
society. 

isL  A  plan  for  the  liberation  of  four  of  the  most  dangerous 

Polish  ringleaders  of  1862-3;  of  political  offenders,  and  in 

particular  of  a  certain  Tchemischeffsky,  who  was  also  the 

author  of  a  novel  entitled,  "What  is  to  be  done?"  which  made 

an  immense  noise  at  the  time  of  its  periodical  publication,  and 

did  worlds  of  harm  to  the  rising  generation  by  its  immoral  and  ■■ 

T 


290 


The  Fourth  of  April 


socialistic  tendencies.  Strauden,  one  of  the  members,  was  to 
go  to  Siberia  for  this  purpose,  provided  with  false  passports, 
poison  for  the  prison  or  mine  keepers,  &c.,  and  to  raise  means 
for  these  and  other  horrible  plans, — 

2d.  A  wretched  boy,  named  Victor  Feodosieff,  a  noble, 
undertook  to  poison  his  own  father,  and  actually  procured  the 
deadly  drug  for  that  purpose,  in  order  that  he  might  come 
into  his  inheritance  without  delay,  and  be  at  liberty  to  help  the 
society  with  it ! 

Each  of  the  conspirators  was  provided  with  a  small  quan- 
tity of  deadly  poison,  sufficient  to  cause  speedy  death  should 
he  fall  into  the  hands  of  justice.  It  was  concealed  in  a  hollow 
button,  and  worn  among  the  hair.  Not  any  of  them,  however, 
availed  themselves  of  it,  as  far  as  I  am  aware, — at  any  rate 
none  of  the  thirty-four. 

The  one  who  distinguished  himself  as  being  actor  in  all  the 
crimes  of  which  the  society  was  guilty,  was  a  young  citizen, 
Nicholas  Ishutin  by  name,  who  was  condemned  to  be  hanged, 
the  rest  were  sentenced  to  various  degrees  of  transportation, 
from  penal  servitude  in  the  mines  of  Siberia  for  life,  with 
deprivation  of  all  rights  of  birth  and  position,  to  the  merely 
nominal  punishment  of  being  under  the  surveillance  of  the 
police. 

The  4th  of  September  was  fixed  for  the  execution  of  Karo- 
kozoff.  The  place  appointed  was  a  vast  plain  almost  at  the 
extremity  of  St.  Petersburg,  called  the  Smolensky  field,  close 
to  the  cemetery  of  that  name.  In  the  midst  stood  the  gallows, 
and  a  little  distance  from*  it  the  scaffold,  surrounded  by  a 
balustrade,  and  with  the  pillar  of  infamy  in  the  middle. 
Soldiery  stood  around  them,  and  beyond  the  soldiers  a  vast 
concourse  of  people — several  hundred  thousand,  they  say.   Two 


The  Fourth  of  April 


291 


executioners,  in  grey  kaftans,  from  beneath  which  might  be 
seen  their  red  shirts,  moved  to  and  fro  in  the  space  between 
the  scaffold  and  the  gallows. 

At  a  quarter  to  seven  in  the  morning  the  procession  ap- 
proached the  Smolensky  field  with  the  prisoner.  Karokozoff 
was  in  a  carriage  with  a  Priest,  but  on  arriving  at  a  certain 
point  he  was  taken  out  and  placed  on  a  cart  of  infamy  with 
his  back  to  the  horses.  He  was  dressed  in  a  black  coat  and 
cap,  and  grey  trousers,  and  on  his  breast  hung  a  black  board, 
with  the  words  "  State  Criminal "  written  in  white  letters.  He 
was  deadly  pale,  and  appeared  extremely  agitated ;  if  he  had 
not  been  bound  to  his  seat  he  must  have  fallen  inevitably, 
and  every  turn  of  the  wheels  made  his  body  sway  to  and  fro. 
The  cart  was  surrounded  by  a  convoy  of  gendarmes  with  drawn 
swords  in  their  hands.  On  reaching  the  foot  of  the  scaffold  he 
was  released  from  his  bonds  by  the  executioners,  and  on  rising 
from  his  seat  he  took  off  his  cap  and  crossed  himself  twice ; 
but  strength  of  mind  and  body  again  deserted  him,  and  he  was 
almost  carried  on  to  the  scaffold. 

A  deadly  silence  reigned  over  the  vast  multitude,  when  a 
functionary  ascended  the  scaffold  with  the  sentence  in  his 
hand.  It  was  interrupted,  however,  by  the  drums  of  the 
soldiery,  which  beat  to  the  march  for  a  few  seconds  before  the 
functionary  began,  in  a  loud  and  distinct  voice,  to  read  from 
the  paper  which  he  held  in  his  hand.  It  was  the  official  sen- 
tence of  death.  Karokozoff  stood,  violently  agitated  all  the 
time;  his  head  now  drooping  on  his  breast,  now  on  his 
shoulders,  his  mental  agony  depriving  him  of  all  power  over 
his  muscles.  Where  was  now  the  contempt  of  death  and  the 
disbelief  in  a  future  state  that  would  have  dictated  suicide  a 
few  months  before?  where  the  strength  of  ^ will  that  was  ta 


292 


The  Fourth  of  April 


enable  him  to  swallow  deadly  poison  on  the  alarm  only  of 
approaching  justice  ? 

The  spectators  listened  to  the  reading  of  the  sentence  with 
heads  bared,  in  respect  to  the  law  that  dictated  it,  and  the 
soldiers  presented  arms ;  on  its  conclusion  the  functionary 
retired,  and  his  place  was  occupied  by  a  Priest,  in  black 
canonicals,  and  with  a  cross  in  his  hand.  The  condemned 
man  instantly  fell  on  his  knees,  and  on  the  Priest's  approach- 
ing him  began  his  last  confession.  The  Office  of  Absolution 
being  performed,  and  the  Commendatory  Prayer  read  over 
him,  he  rose  from  his  knees  and  kissed  the  cross.  The  Priest 
having  made  "  the  sign  of  man's  redemption  "  over  him  once 
more,  left  him,  and  the  executioners  began  their  duty.  Sup- 
ported by  them,  Karokozoff  bowed  on  all  sides  to  the  crowd 
by  way  of  taking  leave  of  his  fellow-countrymen,  and  asking 
their  pardon  for  his  crime.  Having  led  him  to  the  pillar  of 
infamy,  they  proceeded  to  remove  his  coat,  bound  his  eyes 
with  a  white  handkerchief,  and  dressed  him  in  a  sort  of  shroud, 
the  sleeves  of  which,  very  long,  were  tied  behind  like  those  of 
a  strait  waistcoat.  Here  again  his  heart  failed  him,  his  knees 
bent  beneath  him,  and  he  was  again  almost  carried  to  the  gal- 
lows. When  the  noose  was  placed  on  his  neck,  the  people 
took  off  their  hats  and  crossed  themselves,  while  the  drums 
began  to  roll. 

At  ten  minutes  past  seven  all  was  over ;  the  body  was  placed 
in  a  coffin  and  taken  immediately  to  burial.  Before  the  crowd 
had  dispersed,  not  a  trace  of  scaffold  or  gallows  remained  on 
the  Smolensky  field. 

Exactly  a  month  afterwards  preparations  were  made  for 
executing  the  sentences  on  Ishutin  and  ten  of  his  companions, 
who  were  to  be  publicly  deprived  of  their  rights  of  birth  and 


The  Fourth  of  April 


293 


position,  at  the  same  place  and  the  same  hour  of  the  day. 
St.  Petersburg  was  on  its  feet  at  an  early  hour,  wending  its  way 
towards  the  Smolensky  field,  and  the  crowds  that  assembled 
were  even  greater  than  on  the  former  occasion.  The  prepara- 
tions were  exactly  similar,  except  that  there  were  several 
pillars  of  infamy  instead  of  one.  The  melancholy  cortege 
having  arrived,  the  criminals  were  placed  in  a  row  on  the  scaf- 
fold and  the  sentence  publicly  read.  There  were  two  orthodox 
Priests  and  a  Pater  for  the  Roman  Catholics,  and  on  the  con- 
clusion of  the  reading  one  of  the  former  proceeded  to  the 
gallows,  followed  by  Ishutin.  The  same  offices  were  per- 
formed as  in  the  former  instance,  but  when  the  cross  was  held 
to  the  lips  of  the  prisoner  to  be  kissed,  he  clung  to  it  so  long, 
and  with  such  tenacity,  that  the  Priest,  distressed  and  per- 
plexed, knew  not  what  to  do.  To  wrench  it  from  his  eager, 
despairing  grasp,  was  almost  as  impossible  as  to  allow  the 
painful  scene  to  be  prolonged.  Each  time  that  he  endeavoured 
to  remove  it  from  the  lips  of  the  condemned,  he  fell  to  kissing 
it  with  still  greater  fervour.  He  desisted  at  last,  however, — 
the  Priest  signed  him,  and  left  him  to  the  executioners. 

The  other  Priest,  on  the  platform,  was  speaking  to  the 
remaining  prisoners  while  they  dressed  Ishutin  in  his  shroud, 
and  otherwise  prepared  him  for  death ;  the  rope  was  round  his 
neck :  one  more  instant  and  he  would  have  been  suspended 
in.  the  air,  when  a  movement  in  the  crowd,  a  murmur,  which 
instantaneously  became  a  shout  of  joy.  "A  messenger!  a 
State  messenger !  Pardon  from  the  Emperor !"  arrested  the 
executioners'  hands. 

In  the  distance,  with  difficulty  moving  through  the  dense 
crowd,  which  however  did  its  utmost  to  make  way  for  it,  was 
a  droschky,   on  which  stood  a  State  messenger,  waving  a 


294 


The  Fourth  of  April 


white  paper  over  his  head.     In  a  few  minutes  he  arrived  at  the 
foot  of  the  scaffold. 

All  heads  were  bared  immediately.  The  bandage  was 
torn  from  Ishutin's  eyes,  the  shroud  hastily  taken  off;  the 
Priest  again  presented  the  cross  to  his  lips,  and  he  clang  to  it, 
even  kissing  it  more  passionately  than  before.  The  rope  was 
drawn  from  the  ring,  and  its  noisy  fall  on  the  floor  of  the  little 
platform  beneath  the  gallows  called  forth  joyful  shouts  from 
the  spectators.  The  commutation  was  then  read  aloud — it 
granted  life  to  Ishutin,  and  a  mitigation  of  punishments  to  the 
other  offenders. 

Thus  ended  the  last  act  connected  with  the  memorable 
event  of  1866.  But  the  loyal  feelings  of  the  people  required 
a  demonstration  that  would  outlive  the  momentary  though 
sincere  effusions  of  joy  and  gratitude  that  I  have  before  de- 
scribed ;  and  when  it  was  proposed  to  erect  a  little  chapel  on 
the  spot  where  the  deliverance  took  place,  and  a  subscription 
for  the  purpose  opened,  offerings  poured  in,  from  the  widow's 
mite  to  the  thousands  of  the  millionaire.  In  the  short  space  of 
one  year — I  say  short,  advisedly,  for  the  distance  of  Russia 
from  Italy,  and  the  frozen  state  of  the  Baltic  from  November 
to  April,  present  difficulties  that  other  countries  more  southern 
have  not  to  contend  with — a  beautiful  little  edifice  was  com- 
pleted, in  which  native  Serdobolsk  granite,  Carrara  marble,  of 
the  species  called  bardiljo^  labradorite,  and  lapis  lazuli,  all 
highly  polished,  are  mingled  with  exquisite  taste.  The  general 
style  of  the  architecture  employed  is  that  known  as  French 
rococo  of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth  centuries,  with  garlands 
of  sculptured  flowers  in  white  marble,  shields,  and  other 
favourite  ornaments  of  that  period.  On  each  of  the  four 
sides  on  the  shields  are  colossal  heads,  painted  by  Professor 


The  Fourth  of  April 


295 


Sorokine,  representing,  on  a  golden  ground,  the  Saviour,  the 
Holy  Virgin,  St  Joseph  the  Psalm  Writer,  and  SS.  George  and 
Zosim,  the  memory  of  whom  is  celebrated  by  the  Church  on 
the  4th  of  April,  as  well  as  that  of  St  Joseph.  Above  each  arch 
are  appropriate  texts  in  brilliantly  gilt  and  glistenmg  letters; 
that  facing  the  Neva,  and  consequently  just  over  the  place 
where  Providence    preserved   the  life    of  the    Emperor,  is 
-  Touch  not  Mine  Anointed,"  Psalm  cv.  15.  On  the  two  other 
sides  are  "The  power  of  the  Highest  shall  overshadow  thee, 
Luke  i.  35.     "  My  heart  shall  rejoice  in  thy  salvation,"  Psalm 
xiii  5      The  cost  of  this  chapel  was  67,000  silver  roubles, 
which  is  said  to  be  very  reasonable,  when  the  value  of  the 
materials  is  taken  into  consideration.     The  chapel  occupies 
the  site  where  the  gate  formerly  was,  and  forms,  with  the 
celebrated  grating  of  the  Summer  Garden,  a  great  ornament  to 
that  part  of  the  Quay.  ^      , 

The  principal  objects  of  interest  of  the  intenor  is  a  large 
picture  of  St  Alexander  Neffsky,  the  patron  Samt  of  the 
Emperor,  in  a  frame  of  white  sculptured  marble.  On  either 
side  of  it  is  a  cross  formed  entirely  of  the  pictures  presented 
to  his  Imperial  Majesty  by  various  towns,  villages,  and  private 
persons  in  remembrance  and  in  testimony  of  heartfelt  con- 
gratulation  on  his  wonderful  deliverance.  These  crosses  are 
each  fifteen  feet  in  height;  and  as  the  pictures  are  all  deco- 
rated with  silver,  or  silver-gilt  platings  (Rizas),  and  some  even 
with  precious  stones,  they  form  a  very  brilUant  and  effective 

whole.  ,      ,,  IX 

On  the  4th  of  April,  1867,  immediately  after  Mass,  a  mol^- 
ben  was  sung  at  the  Kazan  Church,  and  on  its  conclusion  the 
Metropolitan,  Isidore,  with  other  members  of  the  clergy,  and 
accompanied  by  the  choirs  of  the  Kazan  Church,  and  the 


-r  I 


in; J'.. .  .J  .*  ,u.p.,'i  ft 


296 


T/ie  Fotirth  of  April 


Alexander  Neffsky  Monastery,  proceeded  on  foot  to  the 
Summer  Garden,  where  they  were  joined  by  the  Emperor  and 
his  Imperial  sons,  brothers,  and  nephews.  The  whole  party 
now  moved  towards  the  chapel,  the  Emperor  walking  by  the 
side  of  the  Metropolitan.  The  Grand  Duchesses,  with  their 
ladies  and  maids  of  honour,  the  Ambassadors  with  their  wives, 
the  Diplomatic  Corps,  Members  of  the  Senate,  Governors  of 
cities,  and  a  vast  assemblage  of  the  elegant  public,  were  accom- 
modated with  seats  on  a  platform  covered  with  crimson  cloth, 
that  surrounded  the  building,  which  was  covered  with  a  veil, 
and  of  course  the  surrounding  garden  and  road  were  crowded 
with  the  less  fortunate  of  the  population  of  St.  Petersburg. 

On  the  removal  of  the  covering  the  ceremony  of  consecration 
was  performed,  which  in  most  respects  is  the  same  as  that  for 
a  church ;  but  as  there  is  no  altar,  of  course  there  were  no 
washings,  &c.  The  termination  of  the  ceremony  was  marked 
by  the  firing  of  cannon  from  the  Fortress  of  SS.  Peter  and  Paul 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river. 

Then  followed  the  Thanksgiving  Service.  During  its  per- 
formance the  Emperor  desired  that  Osip  Ivanovitch  Komi- 
sdroff  Kostromskoy,  who  was  present,  should  approach  him, 
and  on  his  obeying  the  summons  he  shook  the  hand  of  his 
deliverer  in  a  friendly  and  hearty  manner,  on  the  very  spot 
where  a  year  before  that  hand  had  turned  away  the  instrument 
of  death ;  and  when  the  choirs  chanted  in  joyful  "  Mnogia 
leiar  he  was  evidently  affected,  and  again  turning  towards 
Osip  Ivanovitch  he  embraced  him  affectionately,  which  move- 
ment of  spontaneous  and  grateful  acknowledgment  brought 
ears  to  the  eyes  of  all  spectators. 


's^ 


ADULT  UNCTION. 

THE  PRINCESS  DAGMAR'S  ADMISSION  TO  THE 
GRECO-RUSSIAN  CHURCH. 

FROM  the  first  time  it  was  rumoured  that  a  marriage  was 
proposed  between  the  heir  to  the  Russian  throne  and 
the  youthful  Princess  Dagmar  of  Denmark,  a  feeling  of  univer- 
sal satisfaction  was  evident.  It  arose  probably  from  the  popu- 
larity of  the  Princess  of  Wales,  and  the  natural  supposition  that 
her  sister  would  be  equally  deserving  of  a  people's  affection. 
Even  the  sad  event  at  Nice  did  not  seem  to  damp  the  general 
feeling  that  "Dagmar  is  ours^'  and  that  sooner  or  later  she 
would  be  the  Heiress,  although  more  than  a  year  elapsed  ere 
the  renewal  of  the  question  was  hinted  at  in  the  newspapers. 
It  was  well  known,  however,  that  the  gifts  which  the  Grand 
Duke  Nicholas  had  presented  to  his  royal  bride,  and  which  are 
said  to  have  cost  a  million  and  a  half  of  roubles,  were  sent 
back  to  the  owner  when  she  returned  them  to  the  Imperial 
parents,  and  experienced  people  said  that  that  was  a  sure  sign 
of  a  second  engagement.  It  was  said  also,  that  the  deceased 
Heir  expressed  a  wish  on  his  death-bed  that  his  brother  might 
be  his  successor  in  every  particular;  and  from  his  affectionate 


298 


Adult  Unction 


Adult  Unction 


299 


appreciation  of  the  excellences  of  the  one,  and  his  deep  love 
towards  the  other,  it  is  easy  to  believe  this  report,  proving,  as 
it  does,  the  amiability  and  loving  solicitude  of  the  dying  youth, 
whose  goodness  of  heart  was  so  well  known,  even  out  of  his 
own  immediate  family. 

The  bride  of  a  Russian  Grand  Duke  must  be  a  member  of 
the  Greco-Russian  Church ;  a  thorough  course  of  instruction, 
therefore,  is  indispensable,  previous  to  the  marriage,  if  she  be 
a  Protestant  or  Roman  Catholic.  Teachers  of  modern  Russ 
and  Sclavonic,  and  a  Priest  of  high  standing,  are  sent  to  her 
in  order  to  prepare  her  for  this  important  step.  The  Princess 
Dagmar  proved  herself  a  very  apt  pupil,  as  will  hereafter  be 
seen,  and  she  had  more  time  to  perfect  herself  than  other 
Imperial  brides. 

The  husbands  of  the  Grand  Duchesses  of  Russia  are  not 
obliged  to  follow  the  above  rule,  nor  are  their  children  com- 
pelled to  be  Greco-Russians,  as  are  those  of  a  Russian  subject 
of  the  orthodox  religion  and  a  foreigner.^ 

All  preliminaries  being  concluded,  the  Princess  Dagmar,  ac- 
companied by  her  brother  the  Crown  Prince,  and  a  numerous 
suite,  among  whom  were  her  religious  instructor  and  her  gover- 
ness, left  Copenhagen  on  the  loth  of  September  1866  (old 
style),  amid  the  tears  and  blessings  of  the  Danes.  All  that 
affection  and  respect  could  devise  to  amuse  and  please  her 
during  her  voyage  was  prepared  for  her,  and  the  little  fleet  that 
accompanied  her  presented  fresh  surprises  every  evening — now 
a  display  of  fireworks,  now  a  beautiful  illumination  j  either  of 
which,  from  the  originality  of  the  place,  or  the  beauty  of  the 
reflection  in  the  calm  water,  must  have  presented  a  certain 
charm. 

^  See  page  210. 


c 


On  arriving  off  the  first  Russian  post,  the  officers  came  forth 
to  greet  their  future  Heritress,  bringing  with  them  the  usual 
off-ering,  bread  and  salt,  on  a  silver  dish ;  and  she  delighted 
the  hearts  of  the  givers  by  reading  off  fluently,  and  with  an 
excellent  pronunciation,  the  little  inscription  that  was  engraved 
on  the  dish.  It  was  not  very  long,  being  simply  to  the  efl-ect 
that  the  bread  and  salt  came  from  the  officers  of  such  and  such 
a  fortress,  with  the  date  of  presentation.  The  latter  must  have 
been  the  test  of  her  Russian  attainments. 

A  few  miles  off  Cronstadt,  the  Danish  squadron  was  met  by 
his  Imperial  Majesty,  the  Grand  Duke  Heir,  Alexander  Alex- 
androvitch,  his  brothers,  and  nearly  all  the  male  members  of 
the  Imperial  family,  accompanied  by  a  perfect  armada  of  steam- 
boats, filled  with  persons  anxious  to  witness  something  like  the 
first  meeting  between  the  bridegroom  and  bride.     On  this  sub- 
ject,  however.  History  is  silent ;  but  she  records  that  the  Pnn- 
cess  kissed  the  Emperor's  hand,  that  he  kissed  her  forehead, 
and  that  she  looked  up  into  his  face  with  tears  in  her  sweet 
eyes,  but  a  smile  on  her  sweet  lips;  that  she  is  of  middle 
stature,  chataine,  with  a  lovely  rosy  complexion,  and  is  exqui- 
sitely graceful  and  winning ;  that  she  was  dressed  very  simply, 
in  a  grey  skirt  and  black  velvet  jacket,  and  a  small  round  hat. 
Leaning  on  the  Emperor's  arm  or  hand,  she  was  conducted 
from  the  Danish  frigate  to  the  boat  that  conveyed  the  Imperial 
party  back  to  their  yacht,  and  then  proceeded  to  Peterhoff",  an 
Imperial  residence  on  the  Gulf  of  Finland,  about  twenty  versts 
from  St.  Petersburg,  where  she  was  met  in  the  most  aff^ectionate 
manner  by  the  Empress  and  the  Grand  Duchesses. 

After  a  few  days'  rest,  the  grand  entry  into  St.  Petersburg 
took  place.  It  was  the  17th  of  September-a  day  of  almost 
universal  festival  in  Russia,  for  it  is  dedicated  to  the  very 


too 


Adult  Unction 


popular  saints,  Sophia,  Vera,  Nadejda,  and  Lubove  ;^  and  as 
there  is  scarcely  a  family  but  has  one  or  two  (and  sometimes 
all  the  four)  members  who  bear  either  of  these  names,  it  may 
truly  be  called  a  national  holiday.  I  do  not  suppose  that  the 
day  was  selected  in  particular,  but  the  circumstance  was  very 
pleasing  to  the  public ;  and  the  veteran  writer,  Raphael  Zotoff, 
in  allusion  to  the  name  by  which  the  Princess  has  hitherto 
been  known,  and  which  is  said  to  signify  "  Day-dawn,"  says, 
"  On  the  day  which  is  observed  by  a  countless  multitude  of 
name's-day  keepers  all  over  the  vast  empire,  a  new  Dawn, 
beaming  over  our  fatherland,  promises  us  long  and  happy  days 
of  peace  and  prosperity,  and  shines  on  us  with  new  Faith, 
Hope,  and  Love." 

The  weather  was  exquisite,  like  a  warm  bright  June  day;  a 
mass  of  people,  extending  from  the  railway  station  to  the 
Winter  Palace,  and  edged  by  a  living  framework  of  brilliant 
soldiery,  awaited  the  procession  from  an  early  hour.  Wherever 
space  permitted,  platforms  were  erected  for  spectators  to  sit 
on,  decorated  with  carpets,  flowers,  flags,  and  other  ornaments. 
The  houses  of  the  aristocracy  were  elegantly  ornamented  with 
plants,  flags  of  either  nation,  with  draperies  suggestive  of  the 
princely  titles  of  the  owners,  mantle-like,  with  ermine  trim- 
mings. Others,  again,  had  day  illuminations,  stars,  &c.,  which 
shone  with  a  thousand  prismatic  colours  in  the  bright  sunlight. 
I  need  not  say  that  every  window  and  balcony  was  crowded, 
and  that  the  house-tops  were  covered  with  people.  At  about 
twelve  o'clock,  a  distant  murmur,  which  grew  nearer  and 
nearer,  louder  and  louder,  as  the  news  became  general, 
proclaimed  that  the  train  had  arrived,  and  in  due  time  the 
gorgeous  procession  appeared  (in  strict  accordance  to  the 

^  Faith,  Hope,  and  Love,  or  Charity. 


i*i*    m    I    III 


Adult  Unction 


301 


ceremonial  published  the  day  before),  amid  the  shouts  of  the 

delighted  crowd. 

First  came  the   outriders,   then   the  Police  Master  of  St. 
Petersburg  (a  Lieutenant-General  of  his  Imperial  Majesty's 
suite),   and  the  gendarmes,  all   on   horseback,  followed  by 
his   Imperial   Majesty's   Own   Convoy,   which  is  unUke  any 
other  regiment  in  any  other   country,  being  composed  of 
picked   Circassians,   in  velvet  caps,  and  with  chased  drawn 
swords,  mounted  on  exquisite  horses,  with  rich  trappings  in 
the  Eastern  style,  and  broad  silver  stirrups.      Then  followed 
the  court  servants  of  various  degrees :  the  out-runners,  with 
tall  feathers  on  their  heads;    blackamoors   in    red  jackets 
embroidered  with  gold ;  hunters  in  green  clothing ;  the  Em- 
peror's stirrup-bearer  in  a  fur  cap,  and  a  broad  scarf  on  his 
breast;  masters   of  the   ceremonies   in   open  phaetons,  and 
dressed  in  splendid  uniforms,  and  with  wands  surmounted  by 
the  two-headed  eagle  in  their  hands,  followed  by  innumerable 
Cossacks,  equerries,  sqmres,  &c.    At  last  appeared  the  carriage ; 
gilt,  the  upper  part  nearly  entirely  of  glass,  carved,  and  lined 
with  velvet,  and  with  a  painted  ceiling.    It  was  drawn  by  eight 
milk-white  horses,  richly  adorned,  and  each  led  by  a  smart 
man  in  a  cocket  hat.      Here  sat  the  fair  young  Princess,  in 
the  national  dress,  which  is  the  court  costume  of  Russia.     On 
this  occasion  it  was  of  blue  velvet,  and  is  described  as  being 
extremely  becoming  to  its  Wearer.     Her  future  mother-in-law 
was  with  her.     On  either  side  of  this  carriage  rode— the  Em- 
peror; the  happy  Heir,  who  constantly  turned  towards  the 
carriage  to  answer  a  question  or  make  an  observation  to  the 
Princess ;  his  Imperial  brothers  and  uncles ;  the  Crown  Prince 
of  Denmark,  &c.     Between  this  carriage  and  others  containing 
the  Grand  Duthesses  and  the  ladies  and  maids  of  honour,  all 


I 


302 


Adult  Unction 


in  court  costume,  were  office-holders  and  military  in  different 
uniforms,  a  moving  mass  of  floating  feathers,  gold  embroidery, 
glittering  epaulettes,  swords,  and  helmets. 

The  Nevsky  Prospect  is  a  broad  handsome  street  of  great 
length,  from  five  to  five  and  a  half  versts ;  at  one  extremity  is 
the  station,  at  the  other  the  Admiralty  and  Palace  Places, 
where,  between  the  latter  and  the  lovely  Neva,  stands  the 
Winter  Palace,  a  town  of  itself.  It  was  along  this  Nevsky 
Prospect  that  the  splendid  procession  moved.  Half-way  down, 
to  the  left  of  a  large  Place,  stands  the  Kazan  Church ;  here 
the  cortege  stopped,  and  the  Princess  and  the  Imperial  family 
got  out  of  their  carriages  or  off  their  horses,  and  entered  the 
church  to  perform  a  moleben.  They  were  met  at  the  door 
by  the  Metropolitan  Isidore,  and  numerous  clergy  in  full 
canonicals.  All  the  other  persons  who  took  part  in  the 
procession  remained  stationary  in  the  street  during  the  special 
service.  On  its  conclusion  the  cortege  proceeded  further,  and 
finally  reached  the  Winter  Palace,  when  a  salute  of  all  the 
cannons  at  once,  in  the  Petropavloffsky  Fortress  (which  is  on 
the  other  side  of  the  river,  not  quite  opposite  the  palace), 
announced  the  entry  of  the  Imperial  bride  into  the  home  of 
her  father  and  mother  in  law. 

Here  another  crowd  awaited  her :  the  maids  of  honour  of 
less  degree,  the  pupils  of  various  educational  Institutes  for 
the  daughters  of  nobles,  with  their  teachers  and  inspectresses, 
the  cadets  of  the  Government  military  academies,  pupils  of 
various  lyceums,  academies,  &c. 

The  Princess  ascended  the  marble  staircase  with  the  Empress 
leaning  on  her  arm,  and  shortly  afterwards  had  to  show  herself 
on  the  balconies  to  the  shouting  people  below,  always  in  com- 
pany with  the  Empress. 


Adult  Unction 


303 


In  the  evening — which  is  described  as  being  quite  Italian 
from  its  warmth  and  loveliness — there  was  a  magnificent 
illumination  in  the  city,  and  the  Imperial  family  went  forth 
in  their  private  carriages  to  see  it,  accompanied  at  every  turn 
by  the  pleased  and  excited  throng. 

The  next  day  they  went  in  state  to  the  opera,  and  sat  in  the 
State  box,  of  the  size  and  magnificence  of  which  people  who 
have  only  seen  the  shabby,  dirty,  inconvenient  theatres  of 
London  can  have  no  idea.  It  is  like  a  splendid  drawing- 
room  ;  and  the  house  itself  is  on  a  piece  with  it.  The  per- 
formance lasted  only  two  hours;  it  was  merely  to  give  the 
public  an  opportunity  of  seeing  their  future  Heiress. 

The  space  of  time  between  the  entry  and  the  wedding,  with 
its  preparatory  ceremonies,  was  passed  principally  at  the 
Emperor's  country  residence  at  Tzarskoe  Selo  (Tzar's  village). 
The  programme  of  the  ceremonial  attendant  on  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Unction  was  published  October  loth,  and  the  Office 
itself  took  place  on  the  12th,  the  Betrothal  on  the  13th. 

Admittance  to  Communion  in  the  Greco-Russian  Church 
is  attainable  only  by  receiving  previously  the  Sacrament 
of  Unction,  which  forms  the  third  part  of  the  ceremony 
of  Baptism  ;i  but,  the  actual  Sacrament  of  Baptism  being 
required  only  once^  in  the  life  of  a  Christian,  it  is  not 
considered  necessary  to  repeat  it  on  entering  the  bosom  of 
the  Eastern  Church,  though  Unction  is  indispensable.  On 
this  occasion,  too,  if  the  person  do  not  bear  a  name  that 
is  strictly  Russian— that  is,  one  borne  by  a  saint  that  is 
acknowledged  by  the  Greco-Russian  Church — ^he  receives  a 
new  one.    For  instance :  the  wife  of  the  Grand  Duke  Michael, 

^  See  Baptism. 

2  "  One  Loni,  one  faith,  one  baptism."  (Eph.  iv.  5.) 


^i iTTg 


304 


Adult  Unction 


a  princess  of  Baden,  whose  name  was  Cecilia  Augusta,  was 
re-named  Olga,  on  becoming  a  Greco-Russian,  although  both 
names  are  translatable  into  Russ,  and  have  repw'esentatives  in 
the  Calendar;  but  being  uneuphonious,  and  what  in  English 
we  should  call  queer  (Kekilia  Avgoosta),  they  were  laid  aside. 
Besides,  the  Imperial  family  have  a  set  of  names  that  seems  to 
be  popular  with  them,  and  from  which  they  seldom  depart; 
these  are  Maria,  Alexandra,  and  Olga,  and  they  occur  several 
times  in  the  present  reigning  family.  There  are,  however,  the 
Grand  Duchess  Elena  Pavlovna,  and  the  Httle  Grand  Duchesses 
Vera  and  Anastasia ;  the  former  was  born  during  the  Crimean 
War,  and  was  probably  named  with  regard  to  contemporary 
events  :  and  these  are  the  only  exceptions. 

In  the  present  instance,  however,  the  baptismal  names  of 
the  Princess  Dagmar  include  two  that  might  be  bestowed 
on  a  Russian  infant — Maria  and  Sophia.  Of  these  the 
former  was  selected,  which,  with  the  patronymic  "  Feodo- 
rovna," — taken  also  from  the  numerous  names  of  King 
Christian  (Christian,  again,  being  not  in  the  Calendar), — 
forms  the  name  of  an  empress  who  was  greatly  beloved 
and  highly  respected  during  a  very  long  lifetime,  and  deeply 
regretted  when  that  life  ended.  She  was  the  wife  of  the 
Emperor  Paul,  and  grandmother  to  Alexander  II.  It  was 
doubtless  in  affectionate  remembrance  of  her  that  the  name 
"  Maria  Feodorovna "  was  composed  for  the  young  Heiress, 
and  the  Russians  seem  to  consider  it  a  good  omen  for  her  and 
for  them. 

At  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning  on  the  day  appointed,  when 
all  the  people  who  were  expected  to  be  in  attendance,  or  who 
were  permitted  to  be  in  the  palace  during  the  ceremony,  had 
assembled,  the  Minister  of  the  Court  announced  to  the  Emperor 


Adult  Unction 


30^ 


that  all  was  ready.  A  procession  was  formed,  according  to  the 
programme,  and  began  to  move  through  the  spacious  halls  and 
apartments  of  the  vast  palace,  all  of  which  were  filled  with 
spectators,  who  on  such  occasions  are  allowed  to  stand  in 
places  allotted  to  them.  For  instance:  in  one  room  are 
generals ;  in  another,  nobles  and  their  wives  and  daughters ; 
and  in  a  third,  merchants ;  and  so  on. 

Slowly  the  procession  proceeded  towards  the  palace  chapel, 
which  is  within  the  building  itself;  the  Emperor  and  Empress 
together,  followed  by  the  generals-in-waiting,  the  Minister  of 
the  Court,  &c. ;  then  the  Princess,  looking  most  charming  in  a 
simple  dress  of  white  satin,  trimmed  with  swan's-down,  without 
any  ornament  on  her  head,  and  no  jewels  save  a  cross. 

On  reaching  the  chapel  door  they  were  met  by  the  Metro- 

.  politan  and  other  clergy ;  and  the  Emperor,  taking  his  future: 

daughter-in-law  by  the  hand,  led  her  to  the  former,  when  the 

following  Office  commenced,  previous  to  the  actual  Sacrament 

of  Unction,  the  Princess  still  standing  at  the  door. 

Metropolitan.  Wilt  thou  renounce  the  errors  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  and  its  falsities  ? 
Ansiver.  I  will. 

The  Metropolitan  lays  his  hand  on  her  head,  and  the  Dea-  • 
con  intones,  "Let  us  pray  to  God;"  answered  by  the  choir, 
"  Lord  have  mercy  upon  us." 

M,  For  Thy  Name's  sake,  O  Lord  God  of  Truth,  and  that 
of  Thine  only  Son  and  the  Holy  Spirit,  look  down  on  Thy 
handmaid  Maria,  now  desirous  of  being  worthy  of  reception 
into  Thy  Holy  Orthodox  Church,  and  of  the  shelter  of  her 
wings.  Deliver  her  from  all  her  former  errors,  and  fill  her  with 
true  faith,  hope,  and  charity;  grant  that  she  may  walk  in  the 
way  of  Thy  Holy  Commandments,  and  do  that  which  shall 

u 


3o6 


Adult  Unction 


please  Thee,  which  if  a  man  does  them,  he  shall  live  by  them. 
AVrite  her  name  in  Thy  Book  of  Life ;  unite  her  to  the  fold  of 
Thy  heritage,  that  in  it  she  may  glorify  Thy  Holy  Name,  and 
that  of  Thy  Son  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  Thy  Life-gmng 
Spirit.  And  may  Thine  eyes  look  graciously  on  her  for  ever, 
and  be  Thine  ears  open  to  her  prayers ;  make  her  to  rejoice  in 
the  work  of  her  hands,  and  in  the  confession  and  praise  of 
Thy  High  and  Holy  Name,  and  that  she  may  glorify  Thee  all 
the  days  of  her  life. 

The  choir  sings  a  Vozglas.^ 

M.  Turn  thyself  to  the  west,  and  sincerely,  and  with  thy 
whole  heart,  renounce  the  errors  of  Lutheranism,  and  confess 
the  true  Orthodox  Faith. 

She  turns  towards  the  west,  with  outstretched  arms ;  and  the 

Metropolitan  asks  her, — 

"  Dost  thou  renounce  all  the  errors  of  Lutheranism  ?  and 
dost  thou  reject  all  that  is  contrary  to  God  and  to  His  truth, 
and  that  is  damnable  to  the  soul?" 

A.  I  renounce  all  the  errors  of  Lutheranism,  and  reject  all 
that  is  contrary  to  God  and  his  truth,  and  that  is  damnable  to 

the  soul. 

M.  Dost  thou  renounce  all  convocations,  traditions,  and 
statutes,  and  all  Lutheran  teachers  and  their  teachings,  which 
are  contrary  to  the  Holy  Eastern  Orthodox  Church  ?  and  dost 
thou  reject  them  ? 

A.  I  renounce  and  reject  them. 

M.  Dost  thou  renounce  all  ancient  and  modem  heresies  and 
heretics,  which  are  contrary  to  God?  dost  thou  reject  them  and 
condemn  them  to  anathema  ? 

A,  All  ancient,  &c. 

^  Sort  of  Doxology. 


Adiclt  Unction 


307 


The  novice  then  turns  to  the  east 

M,  Hast  thou  renounced  all  the  errors  of  Lutheranism  ? 

A.  I  have  renounced  them. 

M.  Dost  thou  desire  to  unite  thyself  to  the  Orthodox  Greco- 
Russian  Church  ? 

A.  I  desire  it  with  my  whole  heart. 

M.  Dost  thou  believe  in  One  God,  who  is  worshipped  and 
glorified  in  the  Holy  Trinity,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  ? 
and  dost  thou  worship  Him  as  thy  God  and  King  ? 

A.  I  do  believe  in  one  God,  tS:c. 

A  prostration  follows ;  and  the  convert,  on  rising,  repeats  the 
Nicene  Creed. 

M,  Blessed  be  our  God,  who  lighteth  every  man  that  cometh 
into  the  world.  Repeat  to  us  the  dogmas,  traditions,  and  ordi- 
nances of  our  Orthodox  Church,  which  thou  boldest. 

(Here  follow  the  ten  Articles  of  Religion,  which,  from  their 
length,  I  should  suppose  the  Princess  read  aloud,  as  it  would 
be  a  difficult  task,  even  to  a  native  Russian,  to  repeat  them  by 
rote,  for  they  of  course  are  in  Sclavonic.) 

A,  The  Apostolic  and  ecclesiastical  ordinances  which  were 
established  at  the  Seven  Councils,^  and  the  rest  of  the  Greco- 
Russian  traditions,  statutes,  and  rules,  I  accept  and  confess ; 
also  the  holy  writings  and  the  prayers  that  the  Holy  Eastern 
Church  has  acknowledged  and  acknowledges,  I  accept  and 
acknowledge. 

I  BELIEVE  and  confess  that  the  seven  Sacraments  of  the  New 
Testament — to  wit.  Baptism,  Unction,  Communion,  Confession, 
Ordination,  Marriage,  and  Extreme  Unction — were  instituted 

^  The  seventh  Council  was  held  at  Constantinople  in  754,  and  afterwards 
convened  at  Nice  in  786.  It  is  known  by  the  name  of  the  Second  Nicene 
Council. 


-.o8 


Adttlt  Unction 


by  Jesus  Christ  and  His  Church,  as  the  means  of  receiving  the 
grace  and  influence  that  they  convey. 

I  BELIEVE  and  confess,  that  in  the  Divine  Liturgy^  the  true 
Body  and  Blood  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  verily  received  in 
the  form  of  Bread  and  Wine,  for  the  remission  of  sins,  and  for 

the  obtaining  eternal  life. 

I  BELIEVE  and  confess,  according  to  the  understanding  of 
the  Holy  Eastern  Church,  that  the  Saints  in  Christ  who  reign 
in  heaven  are  worthy  to  be  honoured  and  invoked,  and  that 
their  prayers  and  intercessions  move  the  All-merciful  God  to 
the  salvation  of  our  souls.  Also,  that  to  venerate  their  incor- 
ruptible relics,  as  also  the  previous  virtues  of  their  remains,  is 

well-pleasing  to  God. 

I  ADMIT  that  the  pictures  of  Christ  our  Saviour,  of  the  Holy 
Virgin,  and  of  other  Saints,  are  worthy  to  have  and  to  honour, 
not  for  the  purpose  of  worship,  but  that  by  having  them  before 
our  eyes  we  may  be  encouraged  to  devotion,  and  to  the  imita- 
tion of  the  deeds  of  the  Righteous  Ones  represented  by  the 

pictures. 

I  CONFESS  that  the  prayers  of  faith  addressed  to  God  are 

accepted  favourably  by  the  mercy  of  God. 

I  BELIEVE  and  confess  that  power  is  given  to  the  Church  by 
Christ  our  Saviour,  to  bind  and  to  loose ;  and  that  what  is 
bound  or  loosed  by  that  power  on  earth,  shall  be  bound  or 
loosed  in  heaven. 

I  BELIEVE  and  confess  that  the  Foundation,  Head,  and  Su- 
preme Pastor  and  Bishop  of  the  Holy  Greco-Russian  Church 
is  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  and  that  from  Him  all  Bishops, 
Pastors,  and  teachers  are  ordained ;  and  that  the  Ruler  and 
Governor  of  the  said  Church  is  the  Holy  Ghost. 
%  ,  ^  Mass. 


Adult  Unction 


309 


That  this  Church  is  the  Bride  of  Christ,  I  also  confess ; 
and  that  in  her  is  true  salvation  to  be  -found,  and  that  no  one 
can  possibly  be  saved  in  any  other  except  her,  I  believe. 

To  THE  HOLY  Syuod  direcdng,  as  to  the  Pastors  of  the 
Russian  Church,  and  to  the  Priests  by  them  ordained,  I  pro- 
mise to  observe  sincere  obedience,  even  to  the  end  of  my 

days. 

The  Metropolitan,  satisfied  that  the  convert  is  well  prepared, 
now  places  the  end  of  his  omophorium  ^  in  her  hand,  and 
proceeds  to  the  body  of  the  church,  tendering  her,  as  it  were, 
to  the  amvon,  while  he  says  the  following : 

"  Enter  thou  into  the  Church,  leaving  the  errors  of  Luther- 
anism  far  behind  thee  \  examine  thyself,  that  thou  free  thyself 
from  the  nets  of  death  and  eternal  misery;  reject  from  this 
time  all  the  errors  and  false  teachings  which  thou  heldest 
hitherto ;  honour  the  Lord  God  our  Father  Almighty,  Jesus 
Christ  His  Son,  and  Holy  Spirit,  the  one  true  and  living  God, 
in  the  Holy  Indivisible  and  Consubstantial  Trinity." 

Having  by  this  time  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the  amvon,  where 
a  naloy  stands  with  the  Gospels  and  cross,  she  lets  go  the 
omophorium,  and  the  choir  sings  the  sixty-seventh  Psalm 
—on  conclusion  of  which,  the  Metropolitan  desires  her  to 
prostrate  herself  before  the  Gospels,  while  he   says  a  short 

litany. 

M,  Send  down  Thy  Holy  Spirit,  and  the  face  of  the  earth 

shall  be  renewed. 

Choir.  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us. 

M.  Turn  Thee,  O  Lord,  and  be  gracious  to  the  words  of 
Thy  servant. 

Choir,  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us. 

^  Bishop's  stole. 


3IO 


Adult  Unction 


M.  The  crooked  shall  be  made  straight,  and  the  rough  places 

plain. 

Choir.  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us. 

M,  Lord,  save  Thy  servant,  who  putteth  her  trust  in  Thee. 

Choir.  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us. 

M.  Be  thou  to  her  a  strong  tower  from  the  face  of  the 

enemy. 

Choir.  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us. 

M.  The  enemy  shall  not  come  nigh  unto  her,  neither  the 
son  of  perdition  harm  her. 

Choir.  Lord,  have  mercy  upon  us. 

M.  Lord,  hear  my  prayer,  and  let  my  crying  come  unto 

Thee. 

A  most  beautiful  and  touching  prayer  follows  the  litany, 
imploring  the  blessing  of  God  on  the  new  member  of  the 
Orthodox  Church ;  after  which,  the  Metropolitan  says  to  the 
still  kneeling  convert, — 

"  Rise,  and  stand  firm ;  stand  in  fear." 

She  rises,  and  says :  "  This  true  Orthodox  Greco-Russian 
Faith,  which  I  now,  of  my  own  free  will,  confess  and  sincerely 
hold,  I  will  confess  and  hold,  with  the  help  of  God,  whole  and 
undefiled  to  my  latest  breath,  and  will  teach  and  inculcate  the 
same  as  much  as  lies  in  my  power ;  all  its  rules  I  will  striv- 
ingly  and  joyfully  perform,  and  will  endeavour  to  keep  my 
heart  in  virtue  and  innocence ;  and  in  token  of  this,  my  true 
and  sincere  confession,  I  kiss  the  Word  and  the  Cross  of  my 

Saviour." 

The  Metropolitan  presents  the  Gospels  and  cross  to  her  to 
kiss,  and  pronounces  a  blessing  on  her.  It  should  be  observed, 
that  though  a  formal  confession  of  sins,  "  from  earliest  child- 
hood, as  far  as  can  be  remembered,"  has  been  observed  pre- 


Adult  Unction 


311 


vious  to  the  Office  of  Conversion,  the  penitent  cannot  receive 
absolution  from   the  Priest  until  renunciation  of  the  former . 
religion  and  profession  of  the  orthodox  faith  has  taken  place, 
according  to  the  above  form.      At  this  part,  therefore,  the 

Metropolitan  says, — 

"Bow  thy  knees  before  the  Lord  God  whom  thou  hast 
confessed,  and  receive  absolution  of  thy  sins." 

The  Princess  prostrates  herself,  with  her  forehead  on  the 
ground,  while  he  reads  the  form  of  Absolution,  which  is  about 
the  same  length  as  our  own  English  one ;  on  its  conclusion,  he 

says, — 

"  Rise,  Sister ;  and  as  a  faithful  servant  of  Jesus  Christ, 
pray  to  '  Him  with  us,  that  thou  mayst  be  worthy  to  re- 
ceive, through  the  Unction  of  Holy  Oil,  the  grace  of  the  Holy 

Spirit." 

The  Office  of  Unction,  slightly  different  from  that  used  at 
Infant  Baptism,  now  commences.  The  oil  which  is  made  use 
of  on  this  and  other  occasions  is  prepared  and  blessed  by  the 
Metropolitan  himself,  and  is  only  made  at  St.  Petersburg  and 
Kieff,  and  from  thence  sent  to  the  different  dioceses,  to  be 
distributed  to  every  church  in  the  empire.  It  is  boiled  in  the 
chapel  attached  to  the  Synod,  in  presence  of  other  ecclesiastics, 
and  with  a  ceremony  and  form  of  prayer  for  the  occasion.  It 
is  composed  of  the  finest  and  purest  vegetable  oil,  and  various 
spices,  myrrh,  mastic,  incenSe,  &c.,  and  the  atom  of  a  relic. 
I  am  told  that  it  is  extremely  difficult  to  prepare,  as  a  very 
little  over-boiling  spoils  it 

One  of  the  Priests  or  Deacons  present  now  brings  out  of 
the  altar  the  vessel  containing  the  holy  oil,  a  sponge,  a  litde 
clean  stick  with  a  morsel  of  cotton  wool  wound  round  one 
end  (or  a  feather),  and  a  little  vessel  of  warm  water ;  these  he 


3.12 


Adult  Unction 


places  on  a  small  low  table  prepared  for  the  purpose,  and  with 
them  the  Gospels  and  cross  just  made  use  of.  Two  lighted 
candles,  in  immense  candlesticks,  are  placed  before  it,  between 
it  and  the  royal  gates.  When  the  preparations  are  complete, 
the  Metropolitan  bows  to  the  congregation  three  times,  and  the 
service  commences  with  a  doxology  and  the  Hymn  to  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  then  the  full  Litany,  with  several  clauses  relative 
to  the  person  about  to  be  anointed.  The  Metropolitan  then 
reads  aloud  this  prayer,  which  is  nearly  the  same  as  that  used 
at  Infant  Unction  : — 

*•  Blessed  art  Thou,  O  Lord  God  Almighty,  the  Fountain  of 
Goodness,  the  Sun  of  Righteousness,  shining  on  such  as  are  in 
darkness,  with  the  light  of  salvation,  by  the  coming  of  Thy 
Only-begotten  Son,  our  Lord ;  and  granting  to  us.  Thy  un- 
worthy servants,  purification  by  Holy  Water,  and  Divine  sanc- 
tification  by  Unction ;  and  who  hast  blessed  Thy  handmaid 
Maria  by  turning  her  from  the  errors  of  heresy,  and  to  the 
knowledge  of  Thy  truth,  that  with  repentance  she  may  turn  to 
Thy  mercy,  and  unite  herself  to  Thy  chosen  flock ;  and  the 
absolution  of  whose  sins,  and  the  dissolution  of  whose  oaths, 
I,  Thine  unworthy  sen^ant,  have  given.  Grant  her,  O  Lord 
and  merciful  King,  the  Seal  of  the  Gift  of  Thy  All-powerful 
and  Adorable  Spirit— the  Communion  of  Christ's  Holy  Body 
and  Blood.  Preserve  her  in  Thy  holiness,  strengthen  her  in 
the  faith  of  the  Orthodox  Church,  deliver  her  from  the  Evil 
One  and  all  his  snares,  and  keep  her  by  Thy  saving  fear  in 
purity  and  righteousness  of  spirit,  that  by  every  deed  and  word 
she  may  be  acceptable  to  Thee,  and  become  Thy  Child,  and 
the  Heritress  of  Thy  Kingdom.  For  Thou  art  our  God,  the 
God  of  mercy  and  salvation ;  and  to  Thee  be  glory !  to  the 


1 


Adult  Unction 


313 


Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  now,  hence- 
forth, and  for  ever." 

Immediately  afterwards  the  Unction  takes  place— preceded, 
of  course,  by  the  Princess  crossing  herself  devoutly.  The 
Metropolitan  turns  towards  her,  and  proceeds  to  make  the  sign 
of  the  cross,  with  the  splinter  or  feather  dipped  in  the  oil,  on 
her  forehead,  over  her  eyes,  nostrils,  lips,  ears,  breast,  hands, 
and  feet,i  with  the  words  at  each  sign,  "  The  Seal  of  the  Gift 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.     Amen." 

Deacon.     Let  us  pray  to  God. 

Choir.     Lord,  have  mercy  on  us. 

Then  follows  a  short  prayer,  to  the  same  effect  as  the  pre- 
ceding. 

The  Metropolitan  then  takes  the  sponge,  and  dipping  it 
in  the  warm  water,  wipes  the  places  anointed,  saying,  "  Thou 
art  justified,  thou  art  sanctified,  thou  art  purified,  by  the  Name 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  God's  Holy  Spirit ;  and  thou 
art  anointed  with  oil,  in  the  Name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever. 

Amen." 

A  secret  prayer,  a  short  litany,  a  doxology,  and  the  blessin 

conclude  this  office. 

1  The  Imperial  brides  are  provided  with  slippers  of  a  pecuhar  form,  which 
are  partially  slipped  off.  This  rule,  however,  seems  to  be  not  always  ob- 
served  thus  ;  for  an  old  lady,  a  Gerhian  by  birth,  who  was  anointed  imme- 
diately before  the  ceremony  of  her  marriage  took  place,  told  me  that  the 
"  Seal "  was  put  on  her  knees,  and  that  her  lady  of  honour  raised  the  skirt 
of  her  dress  for  the  purpose.  A  priest  informs  me  that  when  he  receives 
rascolnitzas  (female  schismatics)  into  the  Church,  he  always  anoints  their 
knees.  Neither  forms  are  de  rigueur,  for  the  word  Nogd  means  the  entire 
limb,  leg  and  foot ;  so  that  whichever  is  anointed,  the  letter  is  observed. 


<T 


14 


Adult  Unction 


Divine  Service  followed  immediately ;  and  when  the  choir 
commenced  singing  the  pre-Eucharistic  Hymn,  the  Empress  led 
the  Grand  Duchess  Maria  Feodorovna  to  the  pictures  in  the 
altar-screen,  which  she  kissed ;  and  on  the  re-opening  of  the 
royal  gates,  when  the  Deacon  comes  forth  with  the  Cup,  inton- 
ing, "  With  the  fear  of  God,  and  with  faith,  approach  ye  !"  she 
conducted  her  to  the  steps  of  the  amvon,  when,  for  the  first 
time,  she  received  the  Communion  according  to  the  rites  of 
the  Orthodox  Church. 

The  exquisite  clearness  and  perfection  with  which  she  pro- 
nounced the  Confession  of  Faith  (not  the  Creed,  but  a  short 
form)  before  the  Holy  Elements  were  administered  to  her,  as 
well  as  the  answers  and  professions  in  the  office  of  Conversion, 
struck  all  present  with  delight  and  astonishment:  it  was 
listened  to  with  breathless  interest ;  and  in  another  second  the 
neighbouring  apartments  and  halls  echoed  with  the  eagerly 
given  and  received  information  of  the  Imperial  bride's  acquire- 
ments. 

The  Emperor,  too,  seems  to  have  been  equally  delighted; 
for  while  the  Grand  Duke  and  Duchess  were  receiving  the 
congratulations  of  the  clergy,  he  was  pleased  to  call  aside  the 
Priest  who  was  entrusted  with  the  Princess  Dagmar's  religious 
instruction,  and  thanked  him  in  the  warmest  terms  for  the 
excellent  manner  in  which  he  had  fulfilled  his  task. 


ADOPTION. 

<^  r^K"^  you  imagine  anything  more  distressing  than  not 
V^     knowing  one's  own  mother?    Pity  me,  then,  for  that 

is  my  case,  Fedinka !" 

"  You'll  get  accustomed  to  it,"  replied  Fedinka,  a  young 

officer  in  the  Cavalier  Guards,  the  playmate  in  childhood  and 

companion  in  youth  of  the  first  speaker,  who  had  been  the 

protegee  ^x.^  god-daughter  of  his  great-grandmother,  the  Baroness 

Schenkendorf,  recendy  deceased. 

The  thing  is,  that  I  am  the  most  useless  creature  imagm- 
able  I  Mamasha  is  very  poor  (that  is,  she  thinks  so,  but 
Lukeria  Gregorievna  says  that  three  hundred  and  fifty  roubles 
a  year  is  plenty  to  live  on),  and  is  not  accustomed  to  occupa- 
tion. Dear  godmamma  I  oh,  how  grateful  I  am  for  that  one 
teaching— that  I  am  useless  !  I  know  it,  and  that  is  one^^step 
towards  mending.     Godmamma  always  told  me  the  truth." 

"  Don't  cry." 

"  I  wish  people  would  let  me  have  all  my  cries  out  as  you 
do,  Fedia,"  she  said,  after  sobbing  for  some  minutes,  and 
putting  her  handkerchief  into  her  pocket,  and  her  hand  into 
his.     "  You'll  write  to  me  very  often,  won't  you  ?" 

"  Of  course,  darling." 


3i6 


Adoption 


"  And  tell  me  all  about  Inna,  just  as  you  used  before,  here, 
in  the  dear,  dear  old  house?  and  about  Ivan  Pavlovitch's 
quarrels  with  Simon  Alexeevitch  ?  and  how  the  dear  students 
get  on  :  mind,  Fedia  !" 

"  Yes,  my  soul." 

"  Particularly  about  Inna,  and  yourself.  Oh,  the  idea  of  my 
being  miserable  at  going  home  to  live  with  Mamasha !  What 
a  wicked  creature  I  must  be  !  But  why  did  she  give  me  up 
to  godmamma?   why  did  she  let  me  get  accustomed  to  all 

this "  and  she  waved  her  hand  round  her,  indicating  the 

rich  and  elegant  appointments  of  the  room  they  were  sitting  in. 

"  I  tell  you  you  had  better  stop  with  us.  Inna  would  be  as 
glad  as  I." 

"  No,  Fedia;  she  is  my  mother.  She  is  getting  old,  too,  and 
I  must  do  my  duty  by  her." 

*'  Listen,  Agrafena !  has  your  mother  done  her  duty  by 
you?"  (He  did  not  like  Madame  Mordvinofif,  if  the  truth 
must  be  told,  and  forgot  caution  in  his  affection  for  her 
daughter.)  "You  say,  why  did  she  give  you  up  to  grand- 
mamma? Because  she  was  idle,  Grousha;^  because  she 
thought  it  would  be  a  fine  thing.  (You'll  excuse  me.)  She  is 
highly  educated,  you  know,  and  could  have  taught  you  herself 
every  bit  as  well  as  our  Lukeria  Gregorievna — but  idleness  is 
the  root  of  all  evil !  And  what  are  its  fruits  ?  That  her  own 
child  is  breaking  her  heart  at  returning  to  her  roof!  That 
she  loves  comparative  strangers  better  than  her  own  brothers 
and  sister!  Who  was  it,  I  should  like  to  know,  that  asked 
her,  only  yesterday  evening,  which  was  the  elder  brother, 
Andr^  or  Nicholai  ?    I  am  astonished  that  you  remember  their 


names  i 


!" 


^  Dim.  for  Agrafena. 


Adoption 


317 


"  What's  to  be  done  ?  Groaning  and  moaning  over  the  past 
is  of  no  use.  We  must  try  to  be  wise  at  the  present  time  m 
order  to  be  less  regretful  in  future.    I'll  do  my  best-with  God's 

help."                                                                   ^  „ 

"  At  any  rate,  stay  with  us  until  you  go  to  Q .     -tlave 

you  quite  made  up  your  minds  ?" 

"Mamasha  does  not  know  her  own.  She  wants  to  be 
comfortable,  you  see,  and  yet  wishes  to  stay  here.  I  pro- 
posed getting  pupils,  just  to  help  a  little,  but  she  won  t  hear 
of  it-she  says  they  would  distract  her-I  have  made  up  my 
mind,  if  I  have  any  voice  in  the  matter,  because  Nicholai 

Nicholaievitch,  when  he  proposed  our  going  to  Q ,  wrote 

that  living  there  is  nearly  half  as  cheap  again  as  at  St.  Peters- 
bur^  That  settles  the  matter  in  my  opinion-besides  bemg 
near  Phimoushka^  and  her  darling  little  baby !     It  must  be 

done,  F^dia !" 

"  So  it  seems,  if  you  will  not  agree  to  my  arrangements.    But 

when  shall  we  see  you  again,  Grousha?" 

"  Don't  talk  of  it.     We  must  not  think  of  ourselves,  but  set 
about  our  duties.     Lord,  help  us  !" 

-  Without  doubt,  He  will,  my  soul !"   Sisterless  and  brother- 
less  Fddia  had  never  felt  his  orphanage  till  now. 

Olympiada  Modestovna,  Agrafena's  mother,  was  employed 
during  this  conversation,  and  much  that  preceded  and  followed 
it  in  collecting  every  packable  article  that  belonged  direct  y 
or  indirectly  to  her  daughter.  The  Baroness  was  immensely 
rich,  and  provided  for  Agrafena  in  the  handsomest  manner 
during  her  lifetime,  but  left  nothing  to  her  in  her  will,  probably 
from  the  impression  that  her  great-grandson  and  god-daughter 
would  ultimately  marry,  and  that  thus  the  latter  would  be  amply 

1  Dim.  for  Seraphima. 


3i8 


Adoption 


Adoption 


319 


provided  for.  "What  earnestly  she  wished,  she  long  be- 
lieved;" and  though  she  never  hinted  her  desire  to  either  of 
the  young  people,  she  encouraged  their  intimacy  as  much  as 
possible,  but  it  ended  in  Grousha's  taking  on  herself  the  nego- 
tiations between  Feodor  and  his  great-grandmother  concerning 
his  engagement  to  a  maid  of  honour  with  whom  he  had  fallen 
violently  in  love,  ended  only  to  continue  in  another  and  far 
more  intimate  form,  for  they  never  were  so  attached  to  each 
other  as  after  that  incident.  The  Baroness  would  not  hear  of 
it,  and  the  poor  little  gentle  maid's  papa  would  not  consent 
until  the  Baroness  herself  should  ask  for  his  daughter's  hand 
on  behalf  of  Fdodor  Kyrilovitch.  Olympiada  Modestovna 
thought  over  all  this  "history"  as  she  packed  up  Grousha's 
things,  with  mingled  regret,  bitterness,  and  self-reproach,  at 
never  having  taught  her  to  encourage  Fedinka's  affectionate 
feelings  before  he  met  with  the  maid  of  honour.  As  she  turned 
over  the  clothes  and  linen  that  had  been  so  bountifully  and 
tastefully  provided,  and  heaped  them  into  the  portmanteau  and 
chests  that  stood  open  to  receive  them,  she  more  than  once 
abused  the  memory  of  her  benefactress,  and  the  stupidity  and 
unworldliness  of  her  innocent  daughter.  A  few  costly  jewels, 
the  gifts  of  the  Baroness  and  the  thoughtless  but  warm-hearted 
F^dia,  made  her  eyes  brighten  and  her  spirits  rise  for  a 
moment,  and  she  tied  them  up  carefully  in  a  handkerchief; 
but  the  discontented,  mournful  expression  of  her  face  returned 
again  when  she  looked  at  Grousha's  library — an  immense  one 
for  so  young  a  girl.  "  Never  mind,"  she  thought,  "  they  will 
bring  a  price  as  waste  paper."  Besides  these,  she  took  pos- 
session of  the  carpet,  curtains,  pictures  of  the  saints,  and  even 
the  plants  in  the  windows — and  great  credit  to  herself  for  not 
carrying  off  the  furniture  and  toilet-service.     In  the  evening 


they  left  the  Baroness's  stately  mansion  for  the  uncomfortable 
unhome-like  lodging  that  ^Olympiada  Modestovna  occupied  in 
the  24th  line  of  the  Vasilieffsky  Island,  which  forms  part  of 
the  city  of  St.  Petersbhrg,  and  where  she  had  lived  for  many 
years  in  an  unsatisfactory  state  of  shabby  lazy  gentility,  always 
in  hopes  that  Grousha  would  marry  somebody  very  rich  and 
invite  her  to  live  with  her.  But  Grousha  had  not  a  taste  for 
matrimony,  or  her  time  had  not  come,  for  she  was  now  nineteen 
years  old,  and  still  not  in  love  with  anybody,  rich  or  poor ! 

After  a  great  many  disputes,  Grousha  won  the  battle,  and  it 
was  decided  that  the  Mordvinoffs  should  take  up  their  per- 
manent abode  at  Q ,  where  the  married  daughter  lived. 

They  had  a  very  long  journey  before  them,  and  they  deemed 
it  prudent  to  wait  till  the  spring  before  setting  out  on  it,  as  the 
river  navigation  affords  facilities  that  the  winter  roads  could 
not  do,  to  say  nothing  of  the  cold.     Olympiada  Modestovna  was 
astonished  to  find  her  daughter  intent  on  becoming  useful  and 
practical,  and  so  very  far  from  being  a  fine  lady.    She  persuaded 
her  mother  to  dispose  of  two  of  their  three  serf  servants— 
for  my  tale  goes  many  years  back,  in  the  days  when  proprietors 
could  sell  their  people  like  cows  and  sheep.     Of  course  Olym- 
piada Modestovna  objected  strongly  at  first,  asking  who  would 
dress  her,  who  would  wash  and  iron  the  collars  and  caps,  who 
mend  the  stockings,  &c.     To  all  this  Grousha  answered  quietly, 
"  I  will ;"   and  with  a  perseverance  that  showed  how  much 
good  there  was  in  her,  she  patiently  learnt  all  the  details  of 
getting  up  fine  linen,  patching  and  darning,  boiling  coffee,  and 
even  a  little  of  cooking— all  which  she  did  "with  her  might;" 
and  while  the  terrible  days  of  winter  gradually  gave  way  to  the 
sloppy  thaw,  and  the  thaw  to  the  bright  delicious  balm  of  a 
Russian  spring,  she  was  being  transformed  from  the  elegant 


320 


Adoption 


..,i,Aprotigee  of  the  almost  millionaire  Baroness  von  Schenk- 
endorf  to  the  working,  economizing  ^irl-noble  of  the  cla      o 
which  she  really  belonged  (she  was  the  orphan  of  a  colonel  m 
the  Naval  Artillery).     She  knew  that  her  mother  was  oo  dd 
to  alter  her  notions  and  habits,  that  something  must  be  done, 
and  that  sooner  or  later  all  the  knowledge  she  was  now  acqmr- 
in..  would  prove  useful  to  herself  or  to  others,  and  she  felt  a 
new  zest  a^d  pleasure  in  accustoming  herself  to  these  homely 
employments,  partly  doubtless  from  their  ent.re  novelty  to  her 
but  Jeatly  from  the  conviction  of  their  absolute  md.spens- 
ab  it^    She  was  greatly  assisted  by  the  advice  of  a  young 
German  matron  who  lived  in  a  little  house  at  the  end  of  their 
garden.  Herhusband  was  foreman  i"  ^  Pianoforte  -nu  ac^  y , 
and  though  he  received  good  wages,  Imng  m  St.  Petersburg 
s  no  jokl  and  his  bright  httle  wife  had  hard  work  to  manage, 
with  hree  tiny  children  too.     It  was  in  her  exquisitely  clean 
kitchen  and  parlour  that  Grousha  took  a  lasting  fancy  to  the 
homely  happiness  of  life  in  the  middle  class,  and  a  disgust  to  . 
the  "appearance-making"  of  her  mother  and  many  of  her 
acquaintances,  with  lessons  that  she  never  forgot  of  industry 
and  carefulness.     Regrets  did  enter  her  head-serious  r  grets 
for  the  loss  of  many  advantages  and  luxuries  that  could  not 
but  have  charms  for  one  to  whom  they  had  become  habits- 
the  opera,  the  drives  in  carriages  of  Viennese  or  English  work- 
manship, the  society  that  frequented  the  Baroness's  hosp.tab  e 
house,  and  the  evening  rhnions  of  clever  and  superior  people 
that  so  often  assembled  there-and  the  sudden  change  from  a 
family  of  upwards  of  twenty  persons,  counting  all  the  distant 
relatives,  orphans  of  former  stewards  of  the  Baroness's  estates, 
a-red  tutors  of  her  deceased  sons,  governesses  of  her  grand- 
'cTau-^hters,  and  other  houseless  folk,  who  were  fed  by  her 


Adoption 


321 


bounty,  to  the  monotonous  company  of  the   ever-grumbling 
Olympiada  Modestovna,  was  really  a  trial  to  her.     But  Feodor 
Kyrilovitch  often  drove  in  his  gallant  little  sledge  to  see  her, 
and  pour  forth  his  rhapsodies  about  his  Inna  into  her  ever- 
sympathising  ear;  and  two  students,  pensioners  of  the  Baroness, 
who  had  lived  under  the  same  roof  with  her  for  many  years, 
and  been  her  playmates  and  companions,  like  Fedia.  used  to 
wrench  moments  of  leisure  from  their  working  hours,  and  come 
to  "  help "  Grousha  in  her  new  capacity  as  housekeeper.     She 
herself  often  spent  an  afternoon  in  the  home  of  her  girlhood, 
with  her  dear  old  governess  and  adviser,  Lukdria  Gregorievna. 
Thus  passed  the  time  till  May,  when  the  Mordvinoffs  bade 
adieu  to  damp  but  beautiful  St.  Petersburg,  and  set  forth  on 
their  journey  to  Orenburg.    Grousha  found  it  very  hard  to  part 
with  Feodor  Kyrilovitch  and  his  "  family"  (as  he  loved  to  call 
the  inmates  of  his  grandmother's  house,  whom  he  insisted  on 
keeping  on  the  same  terms  exactly  as  during  her  lifetime),  and 
he  felt  that  he  was  losing  the  presence  of  his  best  earthly  friend 
and  adviser.     Lovely  and  loveable  as  his  young  bride  was,  she 
was  too  childish  and  inexperienced  to  supply  at  once  the  place 
of  that  faithful  and  indulgent  girl.     He  had  not  a  secret  from 
her;  she  knew  all  his  naughty  histories  of  gambling-parties, 
bets,  presents  to  grasping  actresses,  and  debts  to  horse-dealers, 
money-lenders,  and  jewellers;  and  though  she  scolded   him 
roundly  in  private,  she  always  managed  to  bring  him  safely 
through  interviews  with  his  grandmamma  on  the  ticklish  sub- 
jects, and  never  heard  any  impertinent  arguments,  such  as  those 
he  occasionally  offered  to  General  Andreeff,  his  guardian.     He 
would  not  say  good-bye  to  her,  persisting  in  repeating  '■''do 
sviddnia  .^"  ^  till  the  train  was  out  of  hearing. 

^  **  Au  revoir." 


( 


^22  Adoption 

Grousha  enjoyed  her  two  thousand  five  hundred  versts' 
journey  rather  than  otherwise,  and  relished  the  various  mishaps 
and  discomforts  attendant  on  Russian  travelling,  which  were 
causes  of  serious  annoyance  to  poor  Olympiada  Modestovna, 
who  had  long  ago  outgrown  any  fancy  for  adventure  or  any 

taste  for  fun.  On  their  arrival  at  Q they  stayed  a  fortnight 

with  Seraphima  Nestorovna,  Grousha's  sister,  who  had  been  the 
wife  of  one  of  the  inspectors  of  the  gold-washing  works  there 
for  about  three  years,  and  was  her  mother^s  own  daughter  m 
every  respect.  Her  husband  passed  his  mornings  at  the  works 
and  his  evenings  at  the  card-table ;  he  was  considered  a  good 
officer  and  a  pleasant  comrade,  and  Madame  Mordvinoff,  who 
despised  him  for  his  unimportance  and  poverty  when  he  in- 
sisted on  marr>'ing  her  silly  useless  Seraphima,  felt  all  at  once 
a  degree  of  awe  and  respect  for  him  on  finding  him  on  tne 

footing  he  had  gained  at  Q ,  and  the  style  of  their  living, 

though  on  a  small  scale,  was  decidedly  of  the  sort  she  affected: 
but  Grousha  felt  that  it  was  an  unsatisfactory  state  to  be  in 
constantly,  and  was  glad  when  her  mother  became  the  pur- 
chaser  of  a  small  but  very  convenient,  cheerful  log-house  on 
the  banks  ot  the  beautiful  lake  that  fed  the  works,  with  a  large 
garden  and  a  shady  balcony.  The  superintending  of  the  paper- 
ing and  painting  of  this  dwelUng,  the  making  and  hanging  of 
curtains,  hunting  out  persons  who  had  furniture  to  sell,i  bar- 
gaining  for  the  same,  and  giving  the  whole  place  that  indescrib- 
able air  of  elegance  and  comfort  that  a  person  accustomed 
to  them  alone  can  give,  were  of  course  Grousha's  care,  and 
she  was  as  happy  over  it  as  a  little  girl  with  her  doll's  house. 

1  In  small  to^v-ns  in  the  interior  one  must  either  content  himself  with 
second-hand  furniture,  or  order  it  to  be  made,  which  takes  a  very  long  time. 
There  are  no  cabinet-makers'  shops. 


Adoption 


323 


Olympiada  Modestovna  began  to  appreciate  her  daughter's 
new-found  talents,  especially  when  applied  to  her  own  immediate 
comfort ;  but  she  could  never  fully  understand  or  believe  that 
Grousha  enjoyed  it,  and  it  was  always  with  a  manner  half  apolo- 
getical  that  she  proposed  or  hinted  at  any  addition  or  alteration 
that  incurred  fresh  trouble.  Besides  the  serf  woman  whom 
they  brought  from  St  Petersburg,  and  who  was  a  first-rate 
cook,  they  hired  a  young  girl  to  be  maid  and  errand-runner. 
Thus  comfortably   established,    the    Mordvinoffs    enrolled 

themselves  on  the  list  of  the  Q society,  and  (as  new-comers 

almost  invariably  are)  were  received  by  its  members  with  the 
utmost  cordiality.  They  made  formal  visits  to  the  ladies,  who 
quickly  returned  them,  and  in  their  train  the  husbands  and 
brothers,  and  gradually  the  solitary  bachelors,  made  their  ap- 
pearance. There  were  some  very  agreeable  people  among  the 
number,  some  few  rather  tiresome,  stupid,  or  mischief-making, 
but  on  the  whole  very  bearable. 

.  There  was  one  of  the  sterner  sex,  however,  who  did  not  call 
on  the  Mordvinoffs  until  he  was  sent  for  in  his  professional 
capacity — this  was  the  doctor,  Esper  Andreevitch  Pankreffsky ; 
but  the  ice  once  broken,  he  became  a  more  frequent  visitor  than 
any  of  the  ethers.  Olympiada  Modestovna  was  certainly  an 
aihng  person,  and  the  pretext  of  inquiring  after  and  prescribing 
for  his  patient  was  an  honest  one,  but  it  is  not  to  be  supposed 

that  professional  ardour  alone  was  the  attraction.     The  Q 

people  wondered  at  his  taking  so  much  notice  of  that  strange 
creature,  Agrafena  Nestorovna,  by  no  means  a  pretty  girl  either, 
with  her  pale  face  and  dark  eyes  and  quiet  ways.  They  could 
not  understand  what  it  could  be,  especially  as  Grousha  pro- 
fessed herself  indifferent  to  the  charms  of  dancing,  did  not  play 
well  enough  to  give  pleasure  to  other  people,  and  never  laid 


M 


11^ 


^24  Adoption 

wagers  of  her  own  fancy-work.     Nevertheless,  the  doctor  went 
as  often  as  he  conveniently  could. 

He  was  quite  a  young  man,  and  had  been  educated  at 
St.  Petersburg,  in   the  same  university  as   Grousha's  student 
friends;  the  youngest  son  of  a  general  officer,  and  movmg  m 
the  higher  circles  of  the  middle  class,  he  had  chosen  of  his 
own  free  will,  and  to  the  surprise  of  his  father,  and  indignation 
of  his  mother,  who  wished  him  to  serve  in  the  army  or  navy 
the  profession  of  a  physician,  as  being  that  by  which  he  hoped 
to  have  the  greatest  opportunity  of  being  useful  to  his  fellow- 
creatures      He  placed  the  medical  profession  above  all  others, 
except  the  calling  of  a  Priest,  which  he  considered  almost  too 
high  for  mortal  man  to  follow ;  the  frivolity  and  idleness  of  his 
officer  brothers  disgusted  him  when  a  boy,  and  he  had  a  horror 
of  war  and  wounds  that   amounted  to  a  monomama  in   the 
adolescent.     There  was  certainly  a  portion  of  eccentricity  in 
his  character,  but  so  much  noble  feehng  and  straightforward 
sincerity  in  his  convictions,  that  his  parents  gave  way,  and 
let  him  do  as  he  wished.     His  father  dying  before  he  had 
completed  his  medical  education  deprived  him  of  the  means  of 
continuing  his  studies  in  one  of  the  German  Universities  as  he 
had  intended  to  do,  and  made  him  accept  the  first  appoint- 
ment that  was  offered  him  on  passing  his  final  examination, 
as  it  involved  no  expense  to  his  mother,  whom  he  devotedly 
loved.     He  was   a  goodly  person  to  look  at,  with  the  most 
beautiful  blue  eyes  that  ever  beamed  from  behind  spectacles. 
An  adept  in  his  profession,  and  an  attentive,  sympathising,  and 
successful   practitioner,   yielding  wherever    he   dared   to   the 
wishes  and  opinion  of  the  senior  doctor,  his  superior  officer, 
yet  gently  insisting  on  having  his  own  way  if  convinced  of  its 
necessity  for  the  patient— a  pleasant  comrade,  and  agreeable 


\l 


Adoption 


325 


and  intelligent  at  all  times — such  was  the  man  who  dared  to 
lift  his  eves  to  Grousha,  and  court  her  as  his  future  wife.  Not 
a  word,  and  scarcely  a  look,  had  however  passed  between 
them  after  an  acquaintance  of  nearly  six  months ;  and  Olym- 
piada  Modestovna,  who  still  indulged  in  very  brilliant  castles 
in  the  air  for  her  daughter,  never  imagined  for  a  moment  that 
anything  serious  could  be  thought  of  by  the  two  young  people, 
and  was  merely  enchanted  with  the  doctor  in  his  professional 
line,  holding  him  up  as  a  model  of  attention.  "  Not  even  at 
St.  Petersburg  had  she  ever  met  with  such  a  medical  man  1 
Never !" 

Agrafena  Nestorovna,  who  took  things  as  they  came,  and 
always  tried  to  make  the  best  of  everything,  had  determined 
from  the  first  to  appear  content,  even  if  things  did  not  quite 
come  up  to  her  own  standard  :  "  things,"  however,  turned  out 
better  than  she  expected;  she  and  her  mother  were  getting 
rather  fond  of  each  other — at  any  rate,  they  were  getting  accus- 
tomed to  each  other,  and  she  was  very  happy  at  home,  but 
certainly  Esper  Andreevitch's  acquaintance  had  something  to 
do  with  it. 

She  and  her  sister  did  not  become  very  great  friends.  Sera- 
phima  Nestorovna  was  a  frivolous,  empty-headed  creature, 
given  to  dress,  smoking,  card-playing,  and  flirting;  a  shock- 
ing housekeeper,  and  a  very  careless  mother;  but  Grousha 
had  an  ever  new  pleasure  in  going  to  her  house,  because 
of  the  darling  little  godson  that  she  had  there.  It  was  her 
delight  to  wash  him,  to  comb  and  cut  his  hair,  to  mend  and 
make  his  clothes,  play  with  him,  cut  out  paper  figures  for 
him,  and  be  his  abject  slave  at  all  times.  She  had  always 
been  fond  of  children,  but  this  one  she  doated  on,  and  she 
had  a  way  of  her  own  of  pleasing  them — never  talking  baby 


326 


Adoption 


nonsense  to  the  little  ones,  nor  moralizing  to  the  elders,  yet 
always  contriving  to  leave  an  impression  on  their  minds  of 
some  amiable  or  useful  teaching.  She  could  break  in  violent 
boys  and  tiresome  girls  after  a  few  seances,  and  the  grand- 
mammas and  nurses  of  such  declared  that  she  must  have  a 
zdgoi^or  (spoken  charm  or  exorcism)  for  it.     This  also  was  an 

occasion  for  wonderment  on  the  parts  of  the  Q people, 

especially  the  young  ladies,  with  not  one  of  whom  Grousha 
could  become  intimate,  and  on  a  "bosom  friendly"  footing; 
and  although  she  was  perfectly  polite  and  good-natured,  yet  it 
must  be  acknowledged  that  she  was  cool  to  them.  At  Christ- 
mas time  she  was  obliged  to  go  to  parties  and  dance,  but  as  a 
make-up  she  persuaded  her  mother  to  give  a  child's  ball, 
ostensibly  to  little  Boris,  her  nephew,  but  in  reality  to  assemble 
all  her  dear  litde  friends  and  enjoy  the  sight  of  their  fun  and 

happiness. 

When  the  day  fixed  for  the  little  party  arrived,  Grousha 
was  deep  in  preparations  from  early  morn ;  but  to  her  great 
disappointment  litde  Borinka  had  begun  to  cough  so  distress- 
in-^lv  durini^  the  nisht  that  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  go 
to  his  grandmamma's,  particularly  in  such  a  severe  frost  as 
that  which  was  pinching  the  noses  and  chins  of  the  orthodox 
that  day.     As  the  other  guests  had  joyfully  accepted  the  in- 
vitation, it  was  considered  inconvenient  to  put  oft*  the  party, 
and  Grousha  went  on  preparing  the  rooms  and  candelabra 
with  great  activity  j  everything  was  ready  at  noon,  but  Olym- 
piada  Modestovna  had  not  given  her  the  money  requisite  for 
some  bon-bons  and  sweetmeats,  figs  and  raisins,  and  other 
good  things  that  are  indispensable  at  such  meetings.     There 
was  to  be  a  dinner-party  at  the  magistrate's  at  two  o'clock,  to 
which  Madame  Mordvinoff  was  invited;   and  on  Grousha's 


Adoption 


2>^7 


earnestly  representing  the  imperative  necessity  of  "  dessert,"  ^ 
she  promised  to  buy  it  on  her  way  home.  The  rooms  were 
full  when  she  made  her  appearance  at  seven  o'clock,  and 
Grousha,  assisted  by  a  good-natured  widow  neighbour,  Anfisa 
Fomishna  by  name,  was  very  busy  giving  each  guest  his  tea. 
She  kissed  her  sister  (who  had  brought  Olympiada  Modestovna 
home  in  her  sledge,  and  popped  in  for  a  moment  to  warm 
herself  and  look  at  the  children),  and  then  eagerly  whispered, 
"  And  the  dessert,  Mamasha?" 

"  Akh !  was  there  ever  such  a  head  as  mine  ?  It  quite 
escaped  my  memory.     What  shall  we  do?" 

"  Come  with  me,  Grousha,"  said  Seraphima  good-naturedly. 
^'  Mamasha  is  frozen.  I  will  leave  you  at  the  shop,  and  you 
can  buy  the  things  while  I  am  driving  home.  I  will  send  back 
the  sledge  immediately  for  you." 

"  Oh,  that  is  delightful !"  said  Grousha.  "  Mamasha,  you 
must  pour  out  the  tea;  and  don't  forget  Anfisa  Fomishna," 
she  added  in  a  whisper.  "  Get  the  money  ready,  Mamasha ; 
I  will  go  and  dress." 

"  Wrap  up  warm,  Groushinka,^  it  is  awfully  cold  !" 
In  ten  minutes'  time  they  had  reached  the  shops ;  Grousha 
jumped  out,  and  bidding  her  sister  good-bye,  began  to  make 
her  purchases.  She  had  not  many  to  make,  but  they  were  of 
such  a  description  that  it  required  a  little  time  and  great 
patience  to  select  them  good  of  their  kind  and  reasonable 
in  price.  They  had  been  duly  weighed  out  and  paid  for, 
and  tied  up  in  a  great  coloured  handkerchief  that  her  mother 
had  thrust  into  her  muff  for  the  purpose,  when  she  began 

1  "Dessert"  is  the  word  used  in  Russ  for  the  bonbons,  figs,  &c.  &c., 
above  mentioned. 

2  Dim.  for  Agrafena. 


328 


Adoption 


to  wonder  why  the  sledge  was  so  long  in  coming,  for  Sera- 
phima's  house  was  only  two  or  three  minutes'  drive  distant. 
The  shop  was  little  better  than  a  booth,  and  it  seems  to  be  the 
peculiar  feature  of  such  buildings  that  they  attract  the  utmost 
deirree  of  cold  to  themselves,  and  to  their  floors  in  particular. 
Grousha's  feet,  protected  as  they  were  by  thick  felt  boots  over 
the  ordinary  bottinesof  house  wear,  began  to  feel  the  cold  in 
no  small  degree.  Her  fingers  had  caught  the  nip  when 
handling  and  trying  the  things  produced  for  her  selection,  and 
not  all  the  blowing  and  breathing  that  her  lungs  could  perform 
were  able  to  restore  circulation  out  of  doors,  considering  that 
there  was  a  frost  of  2,S°  (Reaumur).  She  walked  up  and 
down  the  tiny  shop,  the  proprietor  of  which  was  already 
preparing  to  shut  up,  and  rendering  the  space  that  served  for 
poor  Grousha's  promenade  still  smaller  by  hauling  indoors  the 
various  boxes  and  casks  of  salt,  raisins,  tobacco,  and  candles 
that  were  exposed  for  sale  during  the  day-time  outside 
the  booth-  The  candle  burnt  more  and  more  dimly  every 
moment,  and  not  a  sound  could  be  heard  in  the  deserted 
market-place. 

"Akh!  what  shall  I  do,  Vasili  Stepanovitch?"  she  said 
to  the  shopman  in  a  distressful  voice.  "  Do  be  so  kind  as 
to  look  if  my  sledge  is  coming." 

The  man  looked  up  and  down  and  across  the  market-place, 
round  which  the  shops  stood ;  it  presented  a  perfectly  undis- 
tinguishable  space  of  utter  darkness,  the  only  lights  being 
the  stars  :  he  said  that  no  one  was  coming  either  way. 

Another  five  minutes  passed,  and  the  welcome  sounds  of  a 
fast-approaching  vehicle  were  distinguishable;  it  dashed  by, 
however,  leaving  poor  Grousha  ready  to  cry  for  impatience  and 
cold,  for  it  is  a  singular  feature  of  the  effects  of  frost  on  the 


Adoption 


329 


human  frame,  that  people  generally  feel  a  strong  disposition  to 
whimper,  when  under  its  influence  to  a  great  extent. 

"  What  shall  we  do  indeed,  sudarina  ?"  said  Vasili  Stepano- 
vitch ;  "  it  is  time  for  me  to  go  home  too.  We  will  stop  for 
five  minutes  longer,  and  if  they  do  not  come  for  you  by  that 
time  you  had  better  walk  with  me  to  our  house,  and  we'll  have 
the  horse  put  to  for  you." 

"  Oh,  I  can't  walk,"  said  Grousha,  in  a  tearful  voice,  from 
her  seat  on  a  bass  sack  of  walnuts.  "  My  feet  are  quite 
numbed,  and  my  hands  too!  Oh,  what  shall  I  do?"  and 
she  broke  down  completely,  and  cried,  in  a  very  weak-minded 
manner,  as  it  would  appear  to  those  who  have  never  felt  more 
than  eight  or  ten  degrees  of  frost  in  their  lives. 

The  shopman  was  pondering  how  to  get  rid  of  this  un- 
welcome and  melancholy  customer,  when  the  snow  again 
yielded  to  the  iron  fittings  of  a  sledge;  and  at  the  same 
instant  as  it  stopped,  a  tall  figure  well  muffled  in  a  badger 
cloak  and  sable  cap  strode  in  hastily  with  the  words,  "  A 
packet  of  papyros-cigarettes,  quick  !" 

Grousha  sprang  to  her  feet :  it  was  Pankreffsky.  "  Oh,  I  am 
so  glad ;  please,  take  me  home  !     I  am  frozen  to  death." 

"  Agrafena  Nestorovna  !  why,  how  ?  what  is  the  meaning  of 
this  ?  Bless  my  heart,"  he  continued,  taking  her  stiff  marble- 
like fingers  into  his  warm  hands,  "  this  is  no  joke  !"  and  he  led 
her  to  his  basket-sledge,  while  the  shopman  followed  him  and 
gave  the  cigarrettes  to  the  coachman. 

"Drive  for  your  life!"  shouted  Esper  Andre'evitch  in  his 
authoritative  tone,  seizing  the  ends  of  the  reins  with  his  left 
hand,  and  urging  the  horse  forward.  The  whole  time  the 
little  journey  lasted  he  was  alternately  inquiring  anxiously  and 
tenderly  how  Grousha  felt,  or  roaring  at  the   coachman  for 


00^ 


Adoptimt 


imaginary  slowness.  On  their  arrival  at  home  he  took  her  in 
his  arms  as  if  she  had  been  a  child  of  ten,  and  carried  her  into 
the  entrance,  which  he  found  empty,  and  laid  her  on  the 
roondook,!  while  he  tore  off  his  own  wraps  and  hurried  into 
the  rooms  to  call  Olympiada  Modestovna. 

"  Have  the  goodness,  madam,"  he  said  in  the  stern  voice  he 
was  accustomed  to  assume  with  refractory  or  unnecessarily 
fussy  patients,  "  to  attend  to  your  daughter.  She  is  violently 
cold,  and  if  I  mistake  not,  frost-bitten." 

Olympiada  Modestovna,  much  alarmed,  meekly  followed 
him  to  the  lobby.  "  Who,  I  should  like  to  know,  left  her  in 
the  shops  even  for  five  minutes  during  such  a  frost  as  this  ? 
How  did  she  get  there  ?  It  is  unpardonable,  upon  my  word, 
Olympiada  Modestovna." 

"  O  Mamasha,  Mamasha  !"  whimpered  Grousha,  as  she  tried 
to  feel  her  feet  on  the  ground.  "  I  am  so  dreadfully,  dreadfully 
cold,  and  so — sleepy." 

"  Come,  come,  let  me  take  off  your  things  !"  said  Pankreff- 
sky  soothingly,  going  down  on  his  knees  to  pull  off  her  boots, 
while  her  mother  and  Anfisa  Fomishna  unwound  her  scarf 
and  removed  her  hood  and  shouba,  thus  admitting  warm  air 
gradually  to  her  chilled  limbs.  "  Snow,  here !  goose-grease  ! 
move,  can't  you?"  he  cried  reproachfully  to  the  crowd  of 
little  guests  and  their  nurses  and  governesses  that  had 
assembled  round  the  sufferer.  Half-a-dozen  people  rushed 
they  hardly  knew  whither,  but  all  the  doctor  wanted  was 
room  to  pass  into  the  inner  apartments.  "  Carry  Agrafena 
Nestorovna   into   her   room,"    continued   he    to    the   cook. 

^  An  immense  sort  of  locker,  such  as  there  are  in  schools  :  it  is  placed  in 
lobbies  for  keeping  shoubas  in,  and  for  throwing  shoubas  on  during  short 
visits. 


;\ 


Adoption 


331 


"Thank  God,  no  great  mischief  is  done;  if  we  can  keep 
her  awake,  and  bring  back  circulation  in  the  feet,  we  shall 
be  soon  all  right."  Anfisa  Fomishna  had  taken  off  her 
stockings,  and  the  doctor  ascertained  that  though  frightfully 
numbed  and  perfectly  white,  like  those  of  a  corpse,  they 
were  not  so-called  frost-bitten  \  and  the  hands  were  even 
less  affected,  owing  probably  to  the  rubbing  and  squeezing 
tjiey  had  undergone  during  the  drive  home.  The  cook  had 
just  taken  Grousha  up  when  the  outer  door  opened,  and 
Seraphima's  coachman  entered,  bringing  with  him  a  great 
puff  of  frost,  and  diffusing  a  mist  of  intense  cold  from  his 

person. 

"  To  your  graciousness,  Esper  Andre'evitch,  Seraphima  Nes- 
torovna sends  you  her  compliments,  and  begs  you  will  come 
with  me  as  quickly  as  possible.     Little  master  is  very  ill."- 

"  In  five  minutes,  brother !  Wait  for  me.  Go  and  warm 
yourself  in  the  kitchen.  In  five  or  ten  minutes,"  was  the 
answer. 

"Oh  go,  go,  doctor,"  said  Grousha  imploringly  from  the 
cook's  shoulder ;  "  they  can  rub  me,  only  you  tell  them  how. 
My  aingel  Borinka,  please  go  to  him." 

"  I  will  go  when  I  have  finished  your  business.  I  don't  in- 
tend you  to  be  lame,  or  to  lose  either  of  your  ten  toes,  if  it  lies 
in  my  power  to  prevent  it."  Grousha  was  comparing  the  loss 
of  one  toe  to  Borinka's  life.  "  Now  sit  down  and  put  your  feet 
on  this  stool "  (they  had  reached  the  bed-room,  where  a  pailful 
of  snow  already  stood),  "  and  let  me  rub  them  with  snow,  while 
Olympiada  Modestovna  is  so  kind  as  to  rub  one  hand  and 
Anfisa  Fomishna  the  other;  and,  in  the  meantime,  breathe 
deeply  to  get  warm  air  into  your  lungs,  and  try  to  laugh  and  to 
be  very  cheerful.'* 


l\ 


...^.iu- 


332 


Adoption 


Adoption 


333 


I 


I 


"  But  I  can't  be  cheerful,  Esper  Andreevitch,"  groaned  the 
poor  girl,  as  the  vigorous  rubbing  of  the  animated  doctor 
brought  the  first  agonizing  sensation  of  returning  circulation. 
"  Oh  !  oh  !  And  then  poor  dear  Borinka !  what  can  be  the 
matter  with  him  ?     He  only  had  a  cough  this  morning." 

"  I  dare  say  the  nurse  gave  him  something  that  disagreed 
with  him,  while  his  mother  was  absent  at  the  magistrate's,  and 
he  is  slightly  indisposed,  you  know.  And  pray  remember  whaj 
a  very  anxious  yet  undiscerning  mother  your  sister  is,  and  how 
often  she  has  sent  for  me,  post-haste,  in  a  similar  manner, 
without  the  slightest  necessity." 

"  Yes.     But  still—     Oh  !  please,  Esper  Andreevitch,  don't 

rub  so  hard  !     Oh— h  !" 

"  Think  of  the  great  martyress  St.  Catherine,  or  St.  Barbara, 
Agrafena  Nestorovna,"  said  he,  looking  up  smiling  into  her 
face :  and  notwithstanding  her  groans  of  agony,  and  absolute 
writhings,  she  could  not  help  giggling  hysterically  as  he  went 
on  to  describe  a  picture  that  he  had  seen  in  a  country  church, 
illustrative  of  the  sufferings  and  martyrdom  of  the  former  samt, 
depicted  by  a  self-taught  artist  in  the  most  barbarous  style. 
Little  by  little,  however,  a  throbbing  glow  of  warmth  succeeded 
the  uncomfortable  sensations,  and  both  feet  and  hands  became 
of  a  deep  red  colour,  and  considerably  swelled.     A  quarter  of 
an  hour  had  sufficed  to  renew  circulation,  and  the  doctor  now 
requested  Anfisa  Fomishna  to  pour  out  a  cup  of  tea  for  the 
patient,  and  to  put  a  teaspoonful  of  rum  into  it. 

"Well,  now  you  are  quite  comfortable,  I  hope?"  he  said,  as 
he  wiped  his  hands  and  covered  her  feet  with  a  large  shawl, 
"  Pray  be  cautious  for  the  future ;  and  remember  that  the  parts 
once  caught  by  frost,  however  slightly,  are  always  more  suscep- 
tible than  those  which  have  escaped." 


"  Thank  you,  doctor,  very  much.  If  it  had  not  been  for 
you,  I  really  believe  I  should  have  died." 

"  I  ?•"  repeated  he.  Her  hands,  swelled  and  burning  hot, 
with  the  fingers  awkwardly  spread  out,  lay  in  her  lap  :  he  took 
one  up  and  kissed  it. 

Both  felt  confused,  but  deliciously  happy.  "  You  are  my 
patient  now.     Adieu,  till  we  meet  again." 

"  Good-bye.     Make  haste  to  Borinka  !" 

He  was  looking  for  his  cap,  when  Olympiada  Modestovna 
came  in  with  a  distressed  face. 

"  I  really  must  drive  you  out  of  the  house,  Esper  Andree- 
vitch !"  she  said,  with  an  attempt  at  a  laugh;  "it  seems  that 
poor  Borinka  is  the  cause  of  Grousha's  misfortunes  this  even- 
ing :  for  when  Phimoushka  got  home  she  found  him  so  ill  that 
she  forgot,  I  suppose,  that  her  sister  was  freezing  at  the  shop, 
and  sent  the  coachman  with  the  sledge  to  your  house  for  you, 
and  your  people  packed  him  off  to  the  hospital."  The  doctor 
gave  a  grunt  of  impatience.  "And  then,  somehow,  they 
guessed  that  you  must  be  here.  I  was  so  flurried  and  alarmed, 
and  still  feel  so  agitated,  that  I  am  afraid  I  have  not  thanked 
you  at  all.     I  am  sure " 

"  No  cause  whatever  for  thanks,  Olympiada  Modestovna ; 
only  let  me  beg  you  to  look  at  the  thermometer  when  you  have 
occasion— imperative  occasion — to  send  so  young  a  person  as 
your  daughter  anywhere,  especially  to  the  shops." 

"  Yes;  it  was  certainly  very  unthinking  of  me.  But  there, 
do  pray  go,  doctor  !  I  shall  not  be  easy  till  I  hear  what  is  the 
matter  with  the  little  darling." 

Grousha  during  all  this  talk  had  been  stamping  about  the 
room  in  her  great  felt  boots,  for  she  could  not  get  her  little 
bottines  on ;  and  the  spoonful  of  rum  having  done  its  duty  by 


w 


\ 


^^A  Adoption 

her  unaccustomed  head,  she  felt  in  tremendous  spirits,  and  per- 
formed  several  pirouettes  and  pas,  to  the  secret  delight  of  the 
doctor,  and  rather  to  the  scandalization  of  her  mother,  who 
shook  her  head  several  times  at  her  in  a  warnmg  manner. 
The  doctor  took  his  leave,  and  the  mother  and  daughter  went 
arm-in-arm  to  the  zala,  where  the  children  were  playmg  at 
"  recruits,"  with  loud  clapping  of  their  hands.  They  surrounded 
their  hostesses  with  eager  inquiries  after  the  fate  of  Grousha's 
toes    which  some  of  them  evidently  fancied  had  broken  off 
like  kicles;  and  she  was  laughing  at  their  horrified  looks,  when 
her  mother  whispered,  "  Run,  my  soul,  and  see  if  he  is  gone  : 
if  not,  ask  him  to  come  back  after  he  has  seen  Borinka ;  it  will 

be  such  a  relief  to  me." 

She  went  dancing  and  singing  to  the  lobby;  Esper  Andr^e- 
vitch  had  just  laid  his  hand  on  the  handle  of  the  outer  door, 
having  wrapped  himself  up  to  such  a  degree  that  only  his  eyes 

were  visible. 

"  Esper  Andreevitch,  stop  !  Mamasha  begs  you  will  return 
here  after  prescribing  for  Borinka,  because  she  is  so  very 
anxious  about  him.     If  you  please." 

He  turned  towards  her  and  held  out  both  hands ;  and  be- 
fore she  knew  what  she  or  he  was  doing  or  intending  to  do,  her 
own  were  clasped  in  them,  and  their  eyes  met  as  they  never 
before  had  done.  The  passionate  kiss  he  imprinted  on  her 
palms  brought  her  to  herself,  and  she  drew  them  hastily  from 
his  grasp ;  not  a  word  was  uttered  by  either,  and  he  hurried 

away. 

Grousha's  head  reeled  for  more  intoxicating  causes  than  the 

punch  tea.     She  now  felt  sure  of  what  she  had  hardly  dared  to 

think.     She  crossed  herself  again  and  again,  breathed  deeply 

with  the  full  joyful  instinct  of  reciprocated  affection—"  O  Lord 


Adoption 


335 


God,  I  thank  Thee !  I  thank  Thee  for  this  happiness,**  she 
murmured.  And  she  fancied  she  should  feel  like  this  all  the 
rest  of  her  life.  She  came  into  the  tea-room,  because  there 
were  less  people  there ;  and  having  asked  Anfisa  Fomishna  for 
another  cup  of  tea,  as  a  reason  for  not  being  in  the  zela,  stood 
with  her  back  to  a  warm  stove,  "  rejoicing  in  hope,"  giving 
way  to  the  full  flow  of  innocent  rapture  she  was  thus  suddenly 
put  in  possession  of;  gloating,  as  it  were,  over  her  sweet  secret, 
and  as  a  wind-up,  she  actually  kissed  her  own  hands — in  the 
dark  corridor  leading  to  the  zala— simply  because  his  lips  had 
touched  them.  *'  That  will  do,  Grousha,"  she  said  to  herself, 
astonished  at  her  own  madness;  "now  go  and  be  Agrafena 
Nestorovna." 

It  was  lucky  for  her  that  her  mother  and  guests  knew  about 
that  spoonful  of  rum ;  otherwise  they  would  have  been  wonder- 
ing what  could  have  made  her  in  such  wild  spirits.  She  danced, 
whirling  with  the  httle  girls,  and  sending  the  bigger  boys  into 
raptures  by  flirting  with  them.  Half  an  hour  passed  like  five 
minutes,  when  a  small  note  was  put  into  her  hand,  so  hurriedly 
despatched  that  the  writer  had  neither  directed  nor  even  folded 
it.     It  contained  these  words : — 

"The   child  is   too  ill  for  me  to  leave  it.     Croup  in  its 

worst  form. 

"  E.  P." 

"Oh!  I  must  go  to  Phima !"  she  exclaimed,  as  the  tears 
started  to  her  eyes,  handing  the  scrap  of  paper  to  her  mother ; 
"or  perhaps  you  would  like  to  do  so,  Mamasha?  Is  the 
bearer  gone?" 

"  No,  Miss ;  he  is  warming  himself  in  the  kitchen,  Snow  is 
falling  very  thick,  Miss." 


336 


Adoption 


"  Snow  ?  oh,  then  It  must  be  getting  milder  !     Mamma,  may 
I  go?     Say  one  thing  or  another,  dear  Mamasha  !" 

But  Olympiada  Modestovna  was  determined  to  be  prudent 
this  time,  and  firmly  set  her  face  against  Grousha's  leaving  the 
house.  The  loving  heart  had  not  one  scrap  of  selfishness  m 
it;  and  her  own  joy  was  entirely  forgotten  in  anxiety  for  the 
little  suff"erer,  and  pity  for  his  parents.  Her  mother  sent  back 
word  that  she  herself  would  come  the  first  thing  next  morning, 
and  begged  the  sledge  might  be  sent  whatever  the  weather 
might  be.  After  a  pretty  little  supper,  the  delighted  party 
broke  up ;  and  as  the  elders  had  been  entirely  taken  up  with 
waiting  on  the  little  ones,  they  sat  down  to  table  after  the 
guests  were  gone.  Grousha  felt  gushes  of  happiness,  sleepi- 
ness, and  anxiety  for  Borinka  alternately,  and  was  very  tired  of 
hearing  nothing  but  consultations  between  Anfisa  Fomishna 
and  her  mother  concerning  the  duties  of  a  housekeeper  in  a 
*'rich"  house,  and  exchanges  of  information  about  a  Mr. 
Vesnin,  the  proprietor  of  some  gold  works  at  about  fifteen 

versts  from  Q ;    he  was  immensely  rich,  and   had  just 

arrived  from  St.  Petersburg,  for  the  first  time,  to  take  the  man- 
ao-ement  of  the  estate  and  works  into  his  own  hands.  Anfisa 
Fomishna,  the  needy  widow  of  a  police-officer,  had  been 
recommended  to  him  as  a  first-rate  manager,  and  she  was 
anxious  to  pick  up  a  few  hints  from  a  person  accustomed  to 
hi^^h  life  before  entering  on  her  new  duties.  Bed-time  did 
come  at  last,  and  Grousha  was  never  so  glad  of  the  quiet  of 
her  own  room  \  she  wanted  to  think  over  seriously  the  events 
of  that  day  in  her  life,  and  to  conjecture  what  would  be  the 

upshot  of  them. 

The  next  morning  proved  quite  a  mild  one  in  comparison 
with  its  predecessors,  and  Olympiada  iModestovna  prepared  to 


Adoption 


337 


set  off  to  her  daughter's  immediately  after  breakfast.  Nicholai 
Nicholaievitch  came  for  her,  and  his  face  at  once  told  that  his 
darling  was  better.  He  was  loud  in  his  praise  of  Esper 
Andreevitch's  exertions,  and  in  wonderment  at  his  astonishing 
energy  and  health.  "  You  know  he  was  dancing  till  four  yes- 
terday morning ;  and  he  was  with  us  till  nearly  four  to-day, 
when  he  was  sent  for  to  Lougoffka.  He  asked  for  a  cup  of 
strong  coffee,  and  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour's  time  was  on  his 
road.  He  is  a  fine  fellow,  really,  and  the  kindest  of  souls ! 
You  should  have  seen  him  consoling  Phimoushka  last  night, 
and  doing  everything  for  the  child  with  his  own  hands,  as  ten- 
derly as  its  mother — and  much  more  cleverly,  to  tell  the  truth. 
I  declare  I  quite  despised  myself  as  a  father,  when  I  saw  how 
he  soothed  and  relieved  the  poor  little  thing. 

Grousha  listened  with  sparkling  eyes  and  pink  cheeks — she 
looked  almost  pretty. 

"If  you  can  manage  it,  Maman,  continued  Nicholai 
Nicholaievitch,  "  I  really  should  be  grateful  for  your  company 
at  our  house  to-day.  You  see,  I  invited  Vesnin  and  one  or 
two  others  to  dine ;  and,  of  course,  Phimoushka  is  rather 
fatigued  and  flurried,  and  I  do  not  want  to  put  them  off,  so  if 
you " 

"  Certainly,  certainly  !  I  said  last  night  that  I  would  come ; 
but,  mon  cher,  I  will  not  stop  to  dinner,  please,  you  can  do 
without  me  then.  I  must  have  my  nap  to-day,  for  I  was 
cheated  out  of  it  yesterday." 

"  Well,  I  won't  insist.  But  we  must  have  Agrafena  to  dine!" 
said  he,  with  a  glance,  that  Grousha  did  not  observe,  at  Olym- 
piada Modestovna.  "  She  will  like  to  see  her  godson  all  right 
again  j  and  Phimoushka  particularly  requests  it." 

"  Very  well ;  she  shall  go  when  I  return  home,"  observed 


338 


Adoption 


Adoption 


339 


Olympiada  Modestovna,  rising  from  the  breakfast-table,  and 
locking  the  tea-caddy.  Grousha  was  thinking  how  long  the 
doctor  would  be  at  Lougoffka,  and  what  would  happen  when 
he  came  back,  and  she  quite  started  when  her  mother  threw 
the  keys  into  her  lap,  and  began  to  give  her  some  directions 
about  the  dress  and  appendages  that  she  wished  her  to  wear 
at  the  dinner.  During  Olympiada  Modestovna's  absence,  she 
employed  herself  in  bringing  the  little  household  to  rights  after 
the  dissipation  of  the  previous  evening,  and  had  dressed  her- 
self even  to  her  mother's  complete  satisfaction  when  she 
arrived,  and,  after  a  minute  inspection,  wrapped  Grousha  up 
in   extra  warm    clothing,   and    dispatched    her  with    God's 

blessing. 

Scarcely  had  she  reached  her  sister's  door,  when  at  that  of 
her  o^vn  home  stood  Pankreffsky.     He  had  come  to  speak  to 
her  mother.      After  a  sleepless  night  (unless  a  doze  on  the 
road  to  Lougoffka  may  be  called  sleep),  and  a  very  anxious, 
busy,  but  successful  visit  of  f.ve  hours  to  his  patient,  he  had 
dashed  home,  drunk  hastily  a  cup  of  coffee,  and  having  got 
himself  up  to  the  best  advantage,  he  set  forth,  not  without  a 
trifling  agitation  in  his  heart  of  hearts,  to  ask  for  his  wife.     Of 
course,  he  did  it  so  suddenly  and  so  straightforwardly  as  to 
take  Olympiada  Modestovna  very  much  by  surprise ;  and  she 
told  him  so,  adding  that  she  must  have  time  to  think— that  she 
ought  to  write  to  her  sons— (one  was   somewhere  between 
Cronstadt  and  Japan,  by-the-bye)— that  she  really  didn't  know 
—that  she  was  quite  in  a  flutter.  But  he  was  not  the  man  to  be 
put  down  by  Madame  Mordvinoff's  freeziness  or  nervousness, 
and  pinned  her  to  her  place  until  he  had  exacted  something 
like  a  definite  answer— a  promise  to  let  him  know  whether  it 
was  to  be  yes  or  no  in  a  week's  time ;  it  was  given  on  the 


condition  that  he  should  not  by  word  or  hint  communicate  on 
the  subject  with  Grousha  during  that  period. 

Simply  and  honestly  he  gave  his  word,  secure  in  his  own 
mind  that  she  was  his  already. 

"And  whatever  may  be  the  result,  Esper  Andreevitch,  re- 
member that  she  has  no  dowry.  We  are  very  poor  people, 
doctor  ;  there  is  nothing  for  you  to  regret." 

He  was  too  much  taken  up  with  the  subject  he  had  at  heart 
and  in  hand  to  notice  this  uncomplimentary  observation.  "  I 
only  want  herj''  he  answered,  in  a  rather  thick  voice. 

"  Ah  !  you  think  so  now  !"  said  Olympiada  Modestovna  in  a 
pathetic  voice ;  "  but  it  will  be  another  history  when  you  have 
half-a-dozen  children  to  provide  for  and  educate.  Oh,  that 
education !" 

"  We  must  begin  modestly  of  course ;  but  I  do  not  think  she 
need  feel — straitened — in  my  house.  I  cannot  consider  my- 
self poor,  Olympiada  Modestovna,  as  long  as  I  have  health  and 
such  a  Government  appointment  as  mine,  although  my  salary  is 
small.  I  would  not  allow  myself  to  think  of  it — that  is,  I  would 
not  speak  to  you,  did  I  not  know  I  was  acting  honestly  by  her." 

Olympiada  Modestovna  was  sure  of  it.  She  could  not 
help  feeling  herself  carried  away  by  his  warmth,  and  began  to 
experience  a  very  strong  partiality  towards  him.  But  to  see 
Grousha, — for  whom  she  had  formed  such  hopes, — the  bride  of 
a  provincial  medical  man,  when  there  was  an  unmarried  gold- 
washer  in  the  same  town  with  her — no,  she  made  up  her  mind 
to  be  callous. 

"  Let  me  hope,  Olympiada  Modestovna,"  he  continued,  after 
a  long,  horrible  pause ;  "  say  one  encouraging  word  !  I  will  try 
to  be  a  very  kind  son-in-law  to  you  !"  he  went  on,  as  she  still 
made  no  answer. 


W 


',; 


240  Adoption 

'^  I  do  not  doubt  the  sincerity  and  excellence  of  your  inten- 
tions, Esper  Andre'evitch.     God  forbid  !"  she  said  at  last. 
She  allowed  him,  however,  to  kiss  her  hand,  when  taking  a 

very  low-spirited  leave. 

"  It  is  but  a  chance,"  she  thought,  as  she  heard  the  outer 
door  creak  after  him;  "but  as  long  as  Vesnin  is  here,  and 
does  not  become  attentive  to  anybody  else,  I  shan't  give  that 
lad  any  decided  answer." 

After  which  resolution  she  made  a  very  good  dinner,  took  a 
comfortable  nap,  and  would  have  slept  still  longer  had  she  not 
been  awakened  by  Seraphima's  chattering  and  noisy  laugh. 

"  You  here?"  murmured  the  sleeper,  with  an  emphasis  of 
surprise  on  the  pronoun. 

«  Yes  !  here  I  am,  for  I  could  not  rest  until  I  had  told  you  all 

about  it." 

"  But  how  is  Borinka  ?     All  about  what  ?" 

"  Oh,  he  is  all  right,  thank  God  !  no  return  of  the  barking  : 
Esper  Andreevitch  is  the  most  excellent  physician  and  delight- 
ful man  in  the  worid !  but  that  is  not  what  I  am  thinking  of 
just  now,"  she  said,  smiling,  and  screwing  up  her  eyes  in  order 
to  express  rapture.  "  The  fickleness  of  my  heart  is  notorious, 
you  know,  and  it  is  occupied  at  present  by  another  object." 

"  Oblige  me "  began  Grousha,  who  was  evidently  bored 

thoroughly  already. 

"  No,  no,  no,  my  soul !"  rattled  on  the  sister;  "let  me  have 
it  out,  and  I  shall  feel  easier  in  my  mind.  He  is  sitting  with 
my  husband  now — the  doushka  !" 

"  You  are  speaking  of  Mr.  Vesnin,  I  suppose  ?  Well !  and 
how  do  you  like  him?" 

"  Oh  !"  exclaimed  Seraphima,  "he  is  the  most  delightful  man  ! 
One  can  see  directly  that  he  belongs  to  good  society  !  His  hair 


Adoption 


341 


— oh !  and  his  coat,  Mamasha !  I  never  saw  such  cloth  in  my 
life  !  It  is  exactly  like  beautiful  thick  black  satin!  and  so  are 
his  hands." 

"  Like  black  satin  ?"  murmured  Grousha  archly. 

"  You  ! — hold  your  tongue  !  Like  white  satin,  or  pink,  or 
whatever  else  it  is ; — and  such  a  diamond  ring  !" 

"On  which  finger  was  it,  now?"  asked  Grousha  mischievously. 

"  Not  on  his  thumb,  you  teaze !  Oh,  and  his  teeth,  Mama- 
shitchka  !  they  are  exquisite  !" 

"  For  pity's  sake  do  not  enlarge  upon  that  subject  before  me, 
Phima,  for  it  reminds  me  of  a  day  of  the  most  poignant  anguish 
of  mind  and  body  that  I  ever  lived  through,"  said  Grousha. 

"Anguish?" 

"  Yes.  Godmamma  sent  me  one  fine  day  with  Lukeria  Gri- 
gorievna  to  Wallenstein's — the  dentist,  you  know,  on  the  Nev- 
sky  Prospect — to  have  a  tooth  stopped  in  some  new  invented 
patent  way ;  and,  while  we  were  waiting  our  turn,  I  passed  the 
time  in  examining  the  glass  cases  that  were  in  the  ante-chamber; 
they  were  filled  with  pink  gums,  or  jaw-bones  of  beautiful 
teeth.  Exactly  like  Mr.  Vesnin's.  I  cannot  look  at  him  without 
thinking  of  them  and  my  subsequent  agonies." 

"You  absurd  girl!"  said  Madame  Mordvinoff,  smiHng  in 
spite  of  herself. 

"Well!"  cried  Seraphima,  vexed;  "is  that  not  proof  clear 
that  his  teeth  are  beautiful,  if  they  remind  you  of  models  ?  Is 
it  not,  Mamasha?" 

"  I  did  not  say  that  they  were  not  beautiful,"  said  Grousha  ; 
"  they  are  too  beautiful — models,  as  you  say."  And  she  laughed 
till  her  mother  and  sister  could  do  nothing  but  shake  their 
heads,  shrug  their  shoulders,  and  at  last  join  in  her  merriment, 
without  distinctly  comprehending  its  cause. 


V 


^ 


342 


Adoption 


Adoption 


343 


1 


"  He  must  have  sat  for  a  model  to  Wallenstein,"  she  con- 
trived to  say. 

''  E7ifa7it  r  murmured  Olympiada  Modestovna  indulgently. 

"Seriously,  Mamasha,"  Seraphima  went  on,  "he  is  very 
comme  ilfaut.'^ 

"  I  quite  believe  you,  my  dear,"  answered  her  mother  quietly; 
"and  how  long  does  he  intend  to  remain  here?" 

"  Till  after  Twelfth  Night.  But  he  will  often  come  here  for 
a  day  or  two  from  his  estate;  he  says  it  is  dreadfully  dull 
there."  Grousha  had  left  the  room,  wiping  her  eyes  of  her 
laughter-tears.  "And  you  can't  think  how  taken  up  he  was 
with  that  she-fool,"— meaning  her  sister— "and  she  scarcely 
deigning  to  answer  him  !  He  was  glad  to  meet  somebody  ac- 
customed to  St.  Petersburg  life,  naturally.  Because  that  is  his 
sphere,  you  know — the  opera,  and  masquerades,  and  pdits 
soupers,  and  all  that " 

"Yes,"  replied  Olympiada  Modestovna,  feeling  that  such  were 
hardly  the  subjects  that  Grousha  could  be  expected  to  be  up  in. 

"  I  dare  say  he  will  make  you  a  visit  to-morrow,  because  he 
said  that  he  was  not  acquainted  with  all  the  members  of  our 
society,  and  that  he  must  make  haste  to  do  so,  because  he  in- 
tends inviting  a  party  to  his  estate.  Mamasha  !  if  he  invites 
us,  you'll  be  so  very  kind  as  to  remain  with  Boris,  won't  you  ? 
And  we  can  take  Agrafena  with  us." 

"Very  well,  my  dear."  Olympiada  Modestovna  was  com- 
pletely occupied  with  the  idea  of  Vesnin's  being  taken  up  with 
Grousha,  and  she  determined  to  keep  Pankreffsky's  offer  a 
secret  at  present,  even  from  Seraphima,  who,  put  into  a  very 
good  humour  by  her  mother's  ready  assent  to  her  request,  began 
to  chatter  about  the  alterations  and  additions  to  her  toilet  that 
the  party  in  view  would  render  necessary,  and  went  home  in 


high,  good  spirits,  notwithstanding  Grousha's  farewell  freak  of 
exposing  her  own  white  teeth  in  a  ridiculous  grimace.  The 
evening  was  passed  very  sleepily  indeed,  and  both  the  Mord- 
vinoffs  went  to  bed  early.  The  mother  retired  principally  to 
reflect  on  the  best  course  to  take  in  the  present  dilemma— for 
she  considered  herself  to  be  in  one.  An  honourable  offer  of 
marriage  from  a  poor  physician,  and  the  chance,  the  most  dis- 
tantly possible  chance,  of  the  same  from  an  almost  millionaire  ! 
The  circumstances  that  were  favourable  to  her  secret  wishes 
were— first,  the  fact  of  Vesnin's  confessing  it  to  be  awfully  dull 
alone  at  the  estate;  second,  his  having  been  glad  to  meet 
somebody  belonging  to  his  own  class  from  St.  Petersburg; 
thirdly,  his  being  taken  up  with  that  she-fool;  fourthly,  that 
Grousha  knew  nothing  of  the  doctor's  proposal. 

Olympiada  Modestovna  closed  her  eyes  with  the  determina- 
tion to  manage  the  affair  in  her  own  way. 

The  next  day,  Michael  Emilianovitch  Vesnin  appeared  to 
pay  his  respects  to  the  Mordvinoffs,  and  introduced  himself  in 
the  French  language.  He  was  gentlemanly,  but  not  handsome, 
pallid,  with  very  light  grey  eyes,  and  fair  brown  hair  that 
waved  in  abundance ;  but  the  blackness  of  his  moustache  and 
imperial  formed  a  suspicious  contrast  with  his  very  blonde 
lashes  and  brows.  His  costume  and  teeth  were  really  fault- 
less;  and  Olympiada  Modestovna  could  not  help  remarking 
them.  He  was  so  extremely  polite,  he  knew  so  many  grand 
people,  and  he  paid  so  many  compliments,  direct  and  indirect, 
to  his  hostess  as  well  as  to  her  daughter,  that  the  former 
entirely  lost  her  heart  to  him. 

With  all  his  drawing-roomnesses,  as  the  Russians  say,  he 
was  by  no  means  an  unpractical  or  stupid  man,  and  had  a 
'very  kind  heart,  and  the  best  of  intentions;   but  he  was 


344 


Adoption 


Adoption 


345 


decidedly  selfish,  and  fi-Ightfully  spoilt,— spoilt  by  foolishly  in- 
dulgent parents  till  seventeen  years  old,  and  till  of  age  by  a 
guardian,  who  feared  to  offend  him  lest  he  should  revenge 
himself  on  attaining  his  majority  (an  idle  and  causeless  fear, 
for  the  youth  was  of  a  peaceable  disposition),  and  finally, 
when  he  came  into  his  property,  by  society,  by  wily,  grasping, 
or  needy  people,  who  flattered  and  courted  him  for  their 
own  ends.  He  had  one  very  strong  weakness — one  of  the 
most  common  of  all  that  attack  mortals  moving  in  a  certain 
sphere — an  adoration  of  high-sounding  names,  ranks,  and 
titles. 

A  remark,  unwittingly  made  by  Nicholai  Nicholaievitch, 
attracted  his  attention  to  Grousha  far  more  strongly  than  any 
graces  of  mind  or  person  had  power  to  do.  Speaking  of  the 
comparative  advantages  of  Hfe  in  the  capitals  or  provinces,  and 
of  the  dulness  and  flatness  of  society  in  the  latter,  generally 
speaking,  he  said,  "  For  instance,  my  sister-in-law.  How  do 
you  think  she,  a  girl  of  eighteen  or  nineteen,  finds  it?  She, 
who  was  brought  up  in  the  house  of  the  Baroness  Schenken- 
dorf !     You  know  that  family  ?" 

"  Had  heard  it  mentioned  ;  was  not  personally  acquainted." 

"Not  extraordinary,  since  the  old  lady  was  almost  exclu- 
sively surrounded  by  her  old  friends,  and  did  not  seek  new 
acquaintances.  Yes,  the  Baroness  was  Agrafena  Nestorovna's 
god-mother,  and  all  but  adopted  her,  accustomed  her  to  her 
own  style  of  living,  and  died !  Died ;  and  of  course  her  mother 
took  her  home  (and  they  two  almost  strangers  to  each  other  !) 
to  this  poky  hole  !" 

"  Affreux  f"  said  Michael  Emilianovitch. 

He  sat  nearly  an  hour  with  the  Mordvinoffis,  wondering 
what  subject  would  interest  that  silent  girl,  when  the  casual 


mention  of  F^odor  Kyrilovitch  caused  him  to  brighten  con- 
siderably. "Fe'dinka,"  as  Grousha  always  called  him,  was 
evidently  tenderly  brought  to  mind ;  he  knew  him. 

"  Goloubintsoff"?"  he  asked. 

"  The  same.  Sous-lieutenant  in  the  Cavalier  Guards.  Do 
you  know  him?" 

"  Intimately ;  that  is,  I  did  know  him  before  I  went  abroad ; 
he  was  member  of  the  club  to  which  I  belonged." 

"  He  is  my  late  godmother's  great-grandson,  and  all  the 
same  as  brother  to  me.  I  am  glad  you  know  him.  He  is 
on  the  point  of  being  married  to  one  of  the  Morozoffs." 

"  H'm.     The  Morozoffs  of  Moscow  ?" 

"  No.    Prince  Morozoff's  daughter,  maid  of  honour  to  Elena 

Pavlovna." 

Here  was  a  rich  discovery !  Had  Grousha  known  his 
vulnerable  point,  she  could  not  have  attacked  him  more 
expertly;  and  they  continued  talking  in  the  same  style  for 
some  time  longer.  •     • 

On  the  same  day  there  was  to  be  a  public  ball,  and 
Grousha,  though  not  fond  of  dancing,  and  quite  sufficiently 

blasee  to  be  indifferent  to  the  gaieties  of  Q ,  was  looking 

forward  to  it  with  a  mixture  of  timidity  and  delight,  in  antici- 
pation of  an  inevitable  meeting  with  Esper  Andre'evitch.  He, 
poor  fellow,  in  blissful  ignorance  of  any  rival,  open  or  secret, 
had  heroically  determined  to  avoid  all  meetings  with  his 
beloved  until  the  question  was  settled ;  but  how  to  get  off" 
from  his  at  first  self-imposed,  but  now  imperative,  duty  of 
being  master  of  the  ceremonies,  at  similar  assemblies,  picnics, 
&c.  was  the  question.  His  patient  at  Lougoffka  came  to  his 
relief,  and  he  found  it  indispensable  to  go  there  and  see  how 
she  was  getting  on,   and   convenient    to   do   so   that   same 


34^ 


Adoptioft 


Adoption 


347 


evening ;  so  he  prepared  everything  in  the  morning,  and  then 
prevailed  on  a  young  officer  to  take  on  himself  the  duties  of 

the  evening.     Just  at  the  time  that  the  ladies  of  Q were 

beginning  to  dress  for  the  ball,  his  horse  and  sledge  were 
brought  to  the  door,  and  he  gave  slight  vent  to  his  feelings  in 
the  physical  enjoyment  of  the  rapid  motion,  and  the  reining 
in  of  his  spirited  horse.  For  a  man  in  love,  he  spent  the 
evening  very  passably ;  his  host  was  a  clever  and  intelligent 
man,  and  full  of  cordiality  and  gratitude  to  the  doctor  for 
saving  his  wife's  life.  He  possessed  a  son  too,  the  object  of 
his  ardent  wishes ;  and  happiness  generally  makes,  or  ought 
to  make,  people  particularly  pleasant.  The  patient,  too,  was 
well,  and  beaming  with  joy  over  her  infant,  and  the  lady 
doctor  was  in  such  glorious  spirits  that  Pankreffsky  forgot 
himself;  and  if  Grousha's  graceful  figure,  and  the  beaming 
eyes  that  met  his  on  the  frost-biting  night,  would  very  often 
recur  to  his  imagination,  it  was  without  impatience,  or  chafing 

at  delay. 

She,  in  the  meantime,  was  dancing  very  languidly  with  the 

Q cavaliers,  and  particularly  so  with  Michael  Emilianovitch, 

who  exhausted  his  grand-monde  eloquence  in  small  talk  to  no 
purpose.  "Fedinka"  was  the  only  subject  that  seemed  to 
awaken  her;  but  she  looked  so  superior  to  the  other  girls  in 
the  room,  the  very  turn  of  her  head  and  tone  of  her  voice 
betokening  the  secret  of  her  breeding,  that,  knowing  that 
secret  (as  everybody  else  did),  he  felt  himself  irresistibly 
attracted  to  her,  and  said  so  much  in  hints  during  various 
short  conversations  with  Olympiada  Modestovna  and  Sera- 
phima,  that  the  former  determined  to  proceed  a  step  or  two  in 
the  business  she  had  on  hand  without  delay.  And  first,  she 
began  her  diplomacy  by  "the  rule  of  contrary,"  which  is 


supposed  to  be  very  effectual  in  bringing  young  ladies  round 
to  their  mammas'  opinions. 

Michael  Emilianovitch  helped  them  to  dress  and  muffle  like 
a  true  ladies'  man,  and  insisted  on  conducting  Olympiada 
Modestovna  to  her  sledge,  which  she  strenuously  opposed,  but 
of  course  submitted  to.  Grousha,  to  his  great  disappointment, 
ran  round,  and  scrambled  in  at  the  other  side  ;  but  he  would 
not  let  them  go  till  he  had  tucked  them  well  in  all  round. 
Olympiada  Modestovna  prophesied  cold,  cough,  rheumatism, 
and  other  effects  of  the  frost,  all  of  which  he  laughingly  con- 
sented to  endure  for  the  ladies'  sake. 

"There's  a  bore  for  you!"  exclaimed  she,  as  soon  as  the 
sledge  had  got  out  of  the  yard.  "  I  trust  every  tooth  in  his 
head  will  ache  for  his  pains  !     That  is,  if  they  are  real !" 

"  Mamasha !" 

"  They  are  too  beautiful  to  be  his  own,  my  dear ;  that 's  my 
opinion,"  she  returned,  laughing.  "  And  sticking  to  us  all  the 
evening  !     What  will  the  Horizontoffs  think  ?" 

Grousha  did  not  care  what  the  Horizontoffs  would  think, 
although  she  could  not  endure  that  family ;  but  it  was  not  in 
her  nature  to  be  able  to  hear  a  creature  falsely  blamed  without 
taking  his  part.  She  defended  Vesnin  with  great  warmth, 
proving  that  the  mutual  acquaintance  with  Fedinka  was  the 
sole  reason  for  his  particular  attentions,  "  because,  of  course, 
the  poor  man  must  be  horribly  dull  here  after  his  travels  and 
his  St.  Petersburg  life." 

"^  la  bonne  heiire  P^  thought  Olympiada  Modestovna. 

Another  morning  visit,  and  a  meeting  at  Phimoushka's  house, 
where  there  was  a  card  party,  and  where  everybody  played 
except  Vesnin  and  Grousha,  who  were  thus  left  entirely  to 
each  other's  mercy  for  amusement  and  conversation,  settled 


o 


48 


Adoption 


Adoption 


349 


i 


the  matter  In  Olympiada  Modestovna's  mind,  and  she  deemed 
it  prudent  to  get  rid  of  the  doctor  at  once ;  two  days  only 
remained  to  the  end  of  the  week,  and  an  answer  must  be 
given.  Of  course  Nicholai  Nicholaievitch  and  his  wife  were  in 
the  conspiracy  :  the  thing  was  to  get  Grousha  herself  to  refuse 
Esper  Andreevitch.  A  very  slight  circumstance  helped  them 
materially  in  their  heartless  ends.  They  met  the  doctor  at  the 
shops,  where  Grousha  and  her  mother  were  buying  a  toy  for 
little  Borinka.  The  merest  common-places  passed ;  but  while 
Olympiada  Modestovna  was  paying  the  bill,  and  Grousha 
examining  some  other  toys  on  a  shelf,  he  came  up  to  her,  and 
with  his  eyes  full  of  fun,  asked  after  her  frost-bites.  She 
answered  that  they  were  quite  well ;  but  where  had  he  been  all 
this  time  ? 

"  Very  busy  with  my  patients." 

"  I  thought  I  was  to  be  a  patient,  too,"  she  said,  smiling,  but 
with  slight  reproof  in  the  tone. 

The  light  that  shone  in  his  eyes  at  hearing  these  words  was 
extinguished  the  next  instant  by  Olympiada  Modestovna's  sum- 
moning her  daughter  home  ;  and  there  was  something  in  the 
tone  of  her  voice  that  awed  Grousha. 

"How  dare  you  go  and  flirt  in  the  very  shops?"  she  said 
to  her  daughter,  as  soon  as  they  had  seated  themselves  in 
Seraphima's  sledge,  which  was  conveying  them  to  her  house. 
"  The  shopman  was  looking  at  you  all  the  time,  and  the  boys 
giggled  !  Esper  Andreevitch,  of  course,  is  an  excellent  physi- 
cian, but  I  must  say,  he  forgets  himself;  and  any  one,  to  look 
at  you,  would  say  that  you  were  over  head  and  ears  in  love 
with  him  !" 

"  Mamasha  !" 

"  He's  only  making  a  fool  of  you,  my  dear — a  pastime,  while 


a  rich  bride  is  turning  up.  Trust  to  my  experience;  poor 
men  are  never  to  be  depended  on — seldom,  that  is.  And  I 
shall  put  a  stop  to  it  at  once,  Grousha,  for  1  do  believe  that  you 
like  him ;  and  I  am  not  going  to  stand  by  and  see  my  child's 
happiness  and  peace  destroyed,  and  herself  made  a  laughing 
stock  of!" 

"  Mamasha !" 

"I  have  long  observed  your  goings  on,  Grousha;  but 
to-day's  behaviour  has  convinced  me,  so  it  is  no  use  to 
deny  it." 

"Deny  what?" 

"  That  you  are  attached  to  that  pitiful  doctor,  who  has  not 
even  been  to  see  you  since  your  absurd  misfortune  that  night, 
as  any  other  medical  man  would." 

"/  in  love?"  The  laugh  that  attended  these  words  was 
sadder  than  the  most  mournful  groan.  "You  are  mistaken, 
Mamasha,"  she  added,  her  woman's  pride  coming  to  the 
rescue. 

"And  you  promise  to  give  up  this  flirtation?" 

"  Flirtation  ?     Mamasha,  you  are  quite,  quite  mistaken  !" 

"My  dear,  I  know  more  of  the  world  than  you  do,  and 
Esper  Andreevitch  is  by  no  means  the  person  I  should  wish 
for  a  son-in-law  "  (here  she  did  tell  the  truth) ;  "  besides,  it  is 
not  for  you  to  seek  ///;;/,  my  dear." 

The  words  had  been  as  good  as  said  :  "  I  in  love  ?  you  are 
mistaken,"  i,e.  "  I  do  not  love  him ;  I  do  not  like  him."  A 
refusal — flat. 

On  their  arrival  at  Phima's,  the  poor  girl  could  hold  out  no 
longer ;  and  rushing  to  her  sister's  bed-room,  she  buried  her 
face  in  the  pillows,  and  cried  bitterly.    Olympiada  Modestovna 
said  that  she  had  been  giving  her  a  little  scolding,  and  it  was 


-*— r— ^^ 


350 


Adoption 


laid  to  that  account.  To  be  accused  of  flirting !  of  seeking  the 
doctor  1  but  no,  she  had  told  the  truth !  she  was  not  in  love ; 
she  would  never  confess  to  that.  She  liked  him  very  much, 
very  very  much;  oh  !  could  that  be  being  in  love?  Stuff  and 
nonsense  !  she  merely  respected  him  above  all  others,  because 
he  was  such  a  very  clever  doctor,  and  such  an  intelligent  man, 
and  such  a  pleasant  companion.  Thus  did  she  reason  with 
herself  Being  in  love,  in  her  opinion,  was  "  to  go  on,"  as 
Fedia  did,  to  talk  of  nothing  but  the  object,  to  despise  food 
in  general,  to  fret  and  groan  because  the  clock  would  tell  the 
truth  and  show  eleven  o'clock  instead  of  one,  to  use  strong 
language  on  the  subject,  and  altogether  to  be  ridiculous  and 
pitiful.  But  could  it  be  that  he  was  not  in  earnest  ?  True,  he 
had  never  said  a  word  to  her  on  that  forbidden  subject  to  all 
but  solemnly  betrothed  bridegroom  and  bride  ;  but  those  tell- 
tale eyes,  and  the  indescribable  manner  of  satisfaction  and 
happiness  that  came  over  him  whenever  he  approached  her — 
her  only — and  sat  down  by  her  side  with  his  preparatory 
smile?  She  was  not  going  to  break  her  heart,  of  course 
....  but  still  ....  Better  not   think   of  it  any  more— if 

possible. 

It  was  not  possible.  She  was  farther  "gone"  than  she 
suspected.  She  despised  herself  as  a  weak-minded,  self-loving 
girl,  who  had  allowed  herself  to  be  led  away  by  her  imagina- 
tion. But  she  was  faithful  to  the  death  to  her  ideal.  "  He 
never  meant  to  deceive  me,  I  am  sure ;  he  is  just  as  good  and 
noble  as  ever.  He  is  none  the  worse  man  for  not  loving  me ;  it 
was  my  mistake ;  it  is  all  my  fault."  She  felt  a  sort  of  consola- 
tion and  mournful  pleasure  in  laying  all  the  blame  to  herself. 
Not  a  word  more  passed  between  her  and  her  mother  on  the 
subject;  and  Seraphima  had  the  good  sense  not  to  question 


Adoption 


351 


her  on  the  subject  of  the  scolding,  which  she  took  so  much 
to  heart. 

In  a  week's  time  the  poor  girl  had  become  so  thin  and  pale 
that  Olympiada  Modestovna  almost  repented  of  writing  the 
letter  that  had  been  now  in  the  doctor's  hands  five  or  six  days. 
It  was  very  polite,  thanking  him  for  the  honour  he  had  done 
her  daughter ;  but  as  the  latter  professed  herself  perfectly 
indifferent  to  him,  she  could  not  urge  the  matter,  as  in  such 
cases  she  considered  the  mutual  feelings  of  the  parties  con- 
cerned of  the  first  and  greatest  importance.  She  begged, 
however,  that  this  little  episode  might  not  alter  the  friendly 
feeling  on  Esper  Andreevitch's  part,  with  which  she  had  the 
honour,  &c.  &c. 

The  doctor  was  aware  of  the  attentions  that  Grousha  was 
receiving  daily  from  Vesoin,  and  he  considered  himself  jilted. 
It  was  hard  to  acknowledge,  but  he  always  preferred  staring 
truth  in  its  very  face  to  self-deception.  He  also  preached 
lectures  to  himself  on  his  own  folly  in  fancying  she  liked  him, 
and  called  himself  all  manner  of  names ;  cursed  wealth,  and, 
rather  pardonably,  wished  all  rich  men  at  Jericho.  Finally 
he  sat  down  resolutely  to  translate  Dr.  Thomson's  "  Domestic 
Management  of  the  Sick-room" — for  he  knew  the  English 
language  to  perfection, — by  way  of  distracting  his  thoughts 
from  the  too  engrossing  subjects  of  regret  and  vainly  banished 
tenderness. 

Thus  heartlessly  separated,  the  young  lovers  met  with  a  stiff- 
ness and  coldness  that  was  unbearable  to  both,  and  they  each 
avoided  such  meetings  as  much  as  possible.  In  the  meantime, 
Michael  Emilianovitch  had  passed  from  the  polite  to  the 
attentive,  and  from  the  attentive  to  the  devoted  stage,  and 
at  last,  through  Nicholai  Nicholaievitch,  a  formal  proposal 


t 


>> 


352 


Adoption 


I 


I 


was  made.  Olympiada  Modestovna  kept  up  her  dignity  as 
long  as  prudence  permitted  it,  and  Grousha  was  ungracious 
enough  to  say  that  it  was  all  the  same  to  her,  so  long  as 
Mamasha  was  contented ;  and,  face  to  face  with  that  tender 
parent,  told  her  that  she  only  married  Michael  Emilianovitch 

to  get  rid  of  the  Q cavaliers.     She  was  in  the  last  state 

of  misery,  and  the  despair  that  renders  people  insolent  or 
caustic.  She  liked  Vesnin,  respected  him,  and  hoped  to  be 
happy  some  of  these  days  with  him,  but  anything  like  affection 
she  at  present  did  not  entertain  for  him. 

Never  was  bridegroom  more  devoted  than  Michael  Emiliano- 
vitch, notwithstanding  Grousha's  indifference.  He  attributed 
this  to  her  aristocratic  breeding,  and  comforted  himself  withal ; 
and  remembered  the  words  of  an  old  nobleman,  who  had  had 
great  experience  in  his  life  in  that  way — that  the  cold  bride 
always  makes  the  most  loving  wife.  His  attentions  to  Olym- 
piada Modestovna  were  the  source  of  the  greatest  satisfaction 
that  Grousha  enjoyed,  and  she  comforted  herself  with  the 
thought  that  she  was  fulfilHng  to  the  utmost  of  a  daughter's 
duty  in  submitting  to  her  wishes. 

Twinges  of  conscience  did  attack  Olympiada  Modestovna, 
sharply  sometimes,  when  she  observed,  with  that  sensation 
popularly  called  "a  turn,"  the  pale  serious  face,  and  the 
lustreless  eyes,  and  spiridess  movements  of  her  once  cheerful 
and  animated,  though  never  very  high-spirited  Grousha,  and 
compared  her  lisdess  greetings  of  the  adoring  Michael,  with 
the  brightening  glance  and  rising  colour  that  the  doctor's 
comings  called  forth.  But  the  deed  was  begun,  and  must 
be  accomplished. 

They  had  a  very  grand  wedding.  Michael  Emilianovitch — 
who,  though  not  by  any  means  parsimonious,  always  thought 


Adoption  ^-^ 

twice  before  spending  his  money-spared  neither  expense 
trouble,  nor  invention,  in  doing  honour  to  his  bride      Her 
trosseau  was  magnificent,  to  say  nothing  of  costly  jewels  and 
massive  plate,  all  of  which  were  the  gifts  of  the  bridegroom 
He  sent  for  workmen  and  materials  from  Kazan,  to  repair  and 
beauffy  h,s  house  at  Agafino,  as  his  estate  was  called,  after  his 
late  mother.     Though  not  very  large,  it  was  commodious ;  and 
when  the  workmen  left  it,  it  was  a  model  of  elegance  and  com- 
tort.    Not  a  thmg  was  forgotten  that  could  tend  to  the  pleasure 
and  grat,fy  the  fancies  or  taste,  of  his  precious  treasure;  and 
she  fully  appreciated  his  kindness,  though  unable  to  express 
her  feelmgs  as  warmly  as  she  wished,  and  as  she  knew  she 
ought.     A  few  days  after  her  marriage,  however,  the  ice  was 
broken.     She  felt  sorry  for  Michael,  and  feared  she  had  not 
done  her  duty  by  him-had  forgotten  him  entirely  in  her  own 
misery ;  and  suddenly  it  occurred  to  her  to  make  a  clean  breast 
o    t,  and  ask  h,s  forgiveness  for  her  waywardness  and  coldness 
huherto.     He  heard  her  with  the  utmost  patience  and  good- 
ness, soothmg  her  and  comforting  her  as  he  wiped  the  blessed 
peace-givmg  tears  away,  and  giving  her  such  advice  as  she  had 
never  heard  before.     He  appeared  to  her  quite  in  a  new  light, 
and  so  did  she  to  him  ;  and  from  that  evening  of  mutual  loi 
fidence,  Grousha  was  indeed  changed  "from  the  cold  bride  to 
the  lovmg  wife." 

If  the  tenderest  affection,  mixed  with  a  fair  proportion  of 
ealousy,  and  the  most  devoted  attention,  mingled  with  a  large 
hare  of  selfishness,  could  make  a  woman  happy,  Grousha  had 
every  reason  to  be  so.  Not  a  wish  that  money  could  indulge 
was  demed;  and  whatever  Alichael  Emilianovitch  might  be  tn 
pnvate,  he  was  always  a  model  husband  in  public.  But  greater 
happmess  was  in  store  for  her.     Oh !  with  what  transports  of 


25  A  Adoption 

joy  did  she  welcome  her  little  son  !  For  the  first  time  in  her 
life  she  began  to  say  her  prayers  with  fervour  every  time  she 
prayed-for  the  first  time  in  her  life  she  was  filled  with  com- 
plete happiness  that  had  not  one  hut  in  it.  Michael  Emiliano- 
vitch,  too,  was  enchanted,  and  became  devoted  to  tiresome- 
ness  He  applied  himself  to  business  with  redoubled  ardour, 
now  that  he  had  an  heir  to  leave  it  all  to,  and  his  gold-washings 
became  the  talk  of  the  surrounding  engineers,  and  the  sight  of 

the  neighbourhood. 

This  first  baby  was  named  Dmitry :  but  alas !  he  lived  only 
long  enough  to   know  his  young  mother;    and,  to   add  to 
Grousha's  sorrow,  he  died  in  her  absence.      She  had  been 
summoned  suddenly  to  her  mother,  who  was  alarmmgly.  ill, 
and,  as  it  was  mid-winter,  it  was  impossible  to  take  the  baby. 
Olympiada  Modestovna  was  possessed  with  a  conviction  that 
she  was  dying,  and  repeatedly  asked  forgiveness  of  her  daugh- 
ter with  an  earnestness  and  distressfulness  that  made  a  great 
impression  on  Grousha.     A  messenger  used  to  come  twice  a 
day  from  Agafino  to  keep  her  informed  of  the  child's  health, 
and  Michael  Emilianovitch  wrote  droll  bulletins  as  commence- 
ments to  the  love-letters  that  the  messenger  always  brought 
from  him.     The  morning's  intelligence  of  that  fatal  2nd  of 
December  was  worded,  "  that  Dmitry  Michaelovitch  was  quite 
well,  was  dressed  in  his  buff  shirt  with  black  spots,  and  was 
pleased  to  laugh  'with  his  voice,'-/>.  aloud."      But  in  the 
afternoon,  at  three  o'clock,  another  bulletin  arrived— the  infant 
had  a  violent  fit  of  screaming,  the  cause  for  which  no  one  in 
the  house  could  divine,  and  therefore  Vesnin  sent  for  his  wife 
and  the  doctor.     Olympiada  Modestovna  had  become  rather 
better,  and  Grousha  hastened  to  her  darling,  whom  she  had 
not  seen  for  three  days.     She  leaped  out  of  her  tarantas  before 


Adoption  ^rr 

her  man-servant  had  time  to  assist  her,  and  was  met  at  the 
door  by  Esper  Andreevitch,  who  had  arrived  a  few  minutes 
earlier,  and  whose  grave  face  prepared  her  to  hear  bad  news. 

"  Doctor  !  you  €a7i  save  him  ! " 

He  led  her  into  the  entrance,  and  undressed  her  gently; 
while  Michael  Emilianovitch's  unrepressed  sobs  were  heard 
from  the  zala,  and  told  her  what  Pankreffsky  could  not  find 
words  to  do. 

"My  poor  Agrafena  !  you  have  come  too  late  !"  said  Michael 
Emilianovitch,  meeting  her  at  the  door  of  the  zala ;  "  Mitinka 
is  gone!" 

He  led  her  tenderly  to  the  table  in  the  corner,  where,  like 
a  beautiful  figure  in  wax,  lay  the  little  darling:  unaltered 
by  pain  or  long  illness,  fast  asleep,  one  would  think,  only 
very  pale. 

The  Russian  salute  was  duly  performed  by  the  bereaved 
mother  before  she  looked  at  Dmitry's  face.     "My  first  joy!" 
she  whispered,   as  she  flung   back  the  sheet,   and  covered 
his  cold  brow  and  hands  with  kisses.     Her  husband  strove 
to  entice  her  away,  but  she  resisted  all  his  efforts,  and  continued 
gazing,  gazing,  submitting   to  none   of  his  propositions   but 
that  of  a  chair.     And  there  she  sat  all  night,  deaf  to  the 
entreaties  of  husband,  doctor,  and  housekeeper,  and  of  all  the 
female  servants,  who  implored  her  not  to  let  fall  any  tears 
on  the  little  corpse.     No  fear  of  that,  for  no  tears  had  come 
yet.     Nature  gave  way  at  about  six  in  the  morning,  and  she  fell 
asleep  with  her  head  on  the  table  by  Mitinka's  side.     In  the 
meantime,  the  full  laying  out  had  been  accomplished,  and  the 

candlesticks  and  cross  brought  from  Q Church ;  it  was  a 

sight  at  once  touching  and  awful,  when  Seraphima  Nestorovna 
and  some  ladies  of  Q arrived  to  condole  and  help,  as  the 


356 


Adoption 


custom  is :   the  little  corpse  laid  out  in  the  utmost  elegance, 
with  his  white  satin  pillow,  trimmed  with  blonde  and  pale  blue 
flowers— his  pall  of  blue  brocade,  with  silver  fringe,  lace  and 
cross— his  tiny  hands  crossed  upon  his  breast,  and  his  head 
bare— the  corner  of  the  pall  partly  covering  the  head  of  his 
sleeping  mother,  and  concealing  her  face— one  arm  served  her 
as  a  pillow,  the  other,  covered  now  by  the  upper  pall,  was 
thrown  across  the  child.     Michael  Emilianovitch,  the  picture 
of  sorrow  and   solicitude,   paced  up   and   down    the  room, 
pausing  now  and  then  at  his  wife's  side,  and  looking  at  her 
with  mingled  anxiety  and  impatience.     She  awoke  at  about 
twelve,  refreshed  in  body,  and  recovered  from  the  blow  that 
had  stunned  her  faculties ;  she  wept  abundantly,  though  gently, 
and  joined  her  husband  and  guests  at  dinner. 

The  next  day  they  carried  him  in  his  little  toy  of  a  coffin  to 

Q ,   and   the  body  of  *'the   sinless  babe   Dmitry"   was 

consigned  to  the  frozen  earth,  leaving  behind  it  a  blank,  which 
I  suppose  only  a  mother  can  fully  understand  or  imagine. 

Michael  Emilianovitch  was  almost  glad  to  hear,  on  leaving 
the  churchyard,  and  going  to  inquire  after  his  mother-in-law, 
that  she  was  worse,  as  he  hoped  that  anxiety  and  attendance 
on  the  patient  might  act  in  a  degree  as  distraction  to  his  wife, 
whom  he  promised  to  send  in  the  morning.  She  had  returned 
home  immediately  after  the  funeral  to  receive  her  guests— the 
Priests,  Deacons,  and  Readers,  who  had  buried  her  darling,  and 
some  of  her  more  intimate  friends— who  were  invited  to  that 
doleful  meal,  a  funeral  dinner.  She  appeared  very  calm,  was 
attentive  and  agreeable  to  all  her  guests,  and  very  gentle  and 
kind  to  Michael  Emilianovitch,  who  continued  to  weep  at 
intervals  with  unabated  agony.  He  wandered  from  room 
to  room  with  his  mournful  story— here,  Mitinka  was  bom— 


Adoption 


357 


here,  he  himself  was  sitting  when  they  told  him  he  had  a  son 

here,  in  this  mirror,  he  used  to  look  at  himself,  and  laugh 

here — but  the  last  remembrance  was  too  much  for  him. 

Dmitry's  kormilitza,^  a  great  tall  stout  countrywoman,  was 
loaded  with  gifts  ere  she  left  the  Vesnins'  house ;  and  both 
husband  and  wife  kissed  her,  and  bowing  low,  thanked  her  for 
her  care  and  tenderness  to  her  little  nursling.  The  exact  cause 
of  the  screaming  could  never  be  determined,  but  the  immediate 
cause  of  death  was  doubtless  exhaustion.  Thus  die  in  Russia 
countless  numbers  of  "  sinless  babes." 

Michael  Emilianovitch  gave  way  so  entirely  to  this  his  first 
great  grief,  and  became  so  low  and  spiritless,  that  Grousha 
advised  him  to  go  to  St.  Petersburg  for  a  change,  but  none  of 
her  persuasions  were  of  the  slightest  avail,  until  she  had  re- 
course to  a  little  white  lie,  and  confessed  that  she  wished  to 
go ;  that  Fedinka  had  often  invited  her  to  stay  with  him  and 
his  Inna,  and  that  she  wanted  to  see  their  little  girl,  her  god- 
daughter. Olympiada  Modestovna  had  completely  recovered, 
and  there  was  nothing  to  prevent  their  going,  except  that  the 
roads  were  beginning  to  spoil;  nevertheless,  they  set  out  for 
their  long  journey,  and  arrived  in  St.  Petersburg  just  in  time 
for  the  great'  Russian  festival  of  Easter,  which  fell  very  early 
that  year. 

Grousha's  first  business  was  to, visit  the  tomb  of  her  god- 
mother, and  have  a  requiem  performed  over  it,  after  which  she 
and  her  husband  went  to  Fe'odor  Kyrilovitch's  house.  The 
young  man  happened  to  be  at  home,  and  his  delight  amounted 
to  absolute  wildness  when  he  saw  his  dear  Agrafena  "  in  the 
flesh,"  as  he  said,  before  him.  He  knelt  down  before  her  and 
kissed  all  her  ten  fingers,  palms  and  wrists,  then  seized  her  by 

^  Literally y^£'<jj?r — i.e.  wet  nurse. 


358 


Adoption 


the  waist  and  walked  with  her,  while  Michael  Emilianovitch, 
the  model  of  propriety,  was  introducing  himself  to  the  late 
maid  of  honour  and  to  some  half-dozen  other  persons,  who 
were  evidently  inhabitants  of  the  house,  and  who  all  knew 
and  were  glad  to  see  Grousha  again.  Lukeria  Grigorievna  was 
hunted  out  too,  and  brought  to  the  affectionate  embrace  of  her 

former  pupil. 

"What  ^  belle  femme  she  has  become!"  exclaimed  the  old 

lady ;  "  who  would  have  thought  it !" 

Grousha  thanked  her  for  the  compliment,  and  joined  in  the 
hearty  laugh  of  the  rest.  Lukeria  Grigorievna  was  right— 
Grousha  had  greatly  improved  in  her  personal  appearance ; 
she  was  one  of  those  persons  who,  unhandsome  in  their  eariy 
youth,  become  comely  matrons  in  their  seconde  jeunesse,  and 
although  Grousha  was  only  twenty-three,  she  had  already 
attained  the  look  of  charming  gravity  and  importance  that 
belongs  to  the  femme  couverte  only,  and  which  sat  particularly 

well  on  her. 

Michael  Emilianovitch  was  delighted  to  find  himself  once 
again  in  his  old  circle,  after  two  years  among  moojiks  and 

draughtsmen  (he" forgot  the  Q society).    Fedinka  gave  him 

a  warm  welcome  as  a  relation,  for  such  he  always  regarded 
Grousha,  and  a  hearty  recognition  as  co-member  of  his  club ; 
they  were  soon  deep  in  asking  and  answering  questions  about 
mutual  acquaintances,  when  Grousha  interrupted  them  by  say- 
ing,— 

"And  my  god-daughter,  Feodor  Kyrilovitch?      You  must 

show  her  to  me  !" 

There  was  a  painful  pause,  although  it  lasted  but  a  few 
seconds,  and  again  Grousha  heard  those  mournful  words-— 
"  You  have  come  too  late,  Agrafena." 


Adoption 


359 


"  We  lost  her  in  the  Great  Fast,"  said  Madame  Goloubint- 

soff  gently. 

"  We  also "  began  Grousha,  but  said  no  more. 

"  We  did  not  know  God  had  given  you  a  child,"  said  Feodor 
Kyrilovitch,  seating  himself  by  her.  "  It  is  so  long  since  you 
wrote.     My  poor  Agrafena !  and  was  it  a  little  girl  also  ?" 

"  No,  a  son,  Dmitry.  He  lived  only  four  months,  and  he 
died  during  Mamasha's  serious  illness.  But  of  course  you 
know  nothing  about  that  yet  ?  " 

"  To  your  shame  be  it  spoken,  Agrafena !  No,  I  know 
nothing  that  may  have  befallen  you  since — let  me  see— May 
or  June  last  year  !" 

"  I  do  feel  ashamed  of  myself." 

^^  A  la  bonne  heureP'* 

"  Your  baby  was  a  Httle  one,  though,"  said  Inna  Nikitishna, 
"  but  ours  was  fourteen  months  old,  and  could  talk  and  walk. 
She  was  a  lovely  little  darling.  I  will  show  you  her  bust 
Baron  Klodt's  first  master  took  it  for  a  monument  that  they  are 
doing  for  her.     Where  is  the  drawing,  Fedia  ?" 

He  told  her  where  it  lay,  and  she  led  Grousha  into  her  own 
little  boudoir,  where  she  showed  her  a  design  for  the  memorial 
tomb.  It  represented  the  baby  girl  rising,  with  outstretched 
arms,  from  her  knees,  a  wreath  of  flowers  cast  on  the  ground 
beside  her,  and  very  small  wings,  as  if  but  just  appearing. 
The  uplifted  face  and  joyful  though  surprised  expression 
seemed  to  indicate  that  the  sculptor's  idea  was  that  of  unseen 
angels  having  come  to  fetch  her.  The  casting  was  too  death- 
like to  be  agreeable,  but  it  proved  the  loveliness  of  the  lost 
child's  features,  and  the  wonderful  adaptation  of  them  to  the 
design. 

The  two  bereaved  mothers — ^who  in  their  girlhood  had  only 


1'^ 


360 


Adoption 


met  at  balls,  and  who  were  not,  speaking  in  the  language  of 
etiquette,  acquainted,  though  each  knew  the  other  better,  from 
Feodor  Kyrilovitch's  frequent  conversations,  than  many  who 
have  exchanged  a  dozen  or  so  of  visits — found  that  there  was 
another  bond  between  them  besides  Fedinka.  Seated  before 
the  comfortably  glowing  fire,  Inna  told  Grousha  how  much  she 
loved  and  respected  her,  and  had  done  so  ever  since  she  knew 
Theodore^ — how  happy  she  was  with  him,  and  how  kind  he 
was  to  everybody.  There  was  a  simplicity  amounting  even  to 
childishness  in  the  whole  manner  and  conversation  of  the 
pretty  youthful  Inna,  and  an  evident  yearning  to  be  good  and 
useful,  but  an  ignorance  of  how  to  set  about  it,  that  delighted, 
amused,  and  yet  distressed  Grousha.  They  soon  became  very 
intimate;  the  subject  of  the  babies — both  lost  and  expected — 
was  ever  interesting  to  each.  They  used  to  have  private  teas 
in  that  snug  boudoir,  and  Fedinka  often  joined  them,  while 
Vesnin,  who  dashed  into  the  whirl  of  St.  Petersburg  society  with 
an  eagerness  and  zest  that  his  long  "  fast,"  as  he  called  it,  had 
undoubtedly  induced,  was  enjoying  himself  in  his'  own  way 
among  officers  and  chinovniks. 

In  May  the  Goloubintsoffs  removed  to  an  estate  near  Moscow 
for  the  summer,  and  Grousha  persuaded  her  husband  to  let  her 
accompany  them,  and  advised  him  to  go  in  the  meantime  to 
Belgium,  to  purchase  some  machines  and  engines  that  he  had 
long  wished  to  introduce  into  his  works,  and  which  were  really 
requisite  for  their  completion.  A  party  was  formed,  much  to 
Grousha's  distaste,  of  a  horsey,  gambling,  and  otherwise  unde- 
sirable-as-a-companion  cuirassier,  and  a  curious  specimen  of 
real  talent  in  a  shabby  ever-tipsy  artist,  both  of  whom  Michael 
Emilianovitch  had  taken  under  his  protection.     He  greatly 

1  Feodor. 


Adoption 


361 


wished  her  to  accompany  them,  but  Inna  begged  her  so  hard 
to  stay  with  her  during  the  summer,  and  had  been  so  ailing  of 
late,  that  she  insisted  on  having  her  furlough,  particularly  as 
she  hoped  that  her  husband  would  be  sooner  surfeited  with 
pleasure  and  excitement,  and  disgusted  with  his  companions,  if 
left  entirely  to  himself. 

They  had  not  been  in  the  country  more  than  a  month,  when 
another  little  girl  was  born  to  Fe'dinka  and  Inna,  and  received 
the  name  of  its  godmother  Agrafena.  The  event  was  cele- 
brated by  great  rejoicings  and  merry-makings,  all  of  which, 
being  thoroughly  to  Grousha's  taste,  she  would  have  greatly 
enjoyed  had  Michael  Emilianovitch  been  with  her;  her  great- 
est happiness  and  delight  was  to  nurse  and  watch  her  little 
godchild. 

"Dear  Agrafena  Nestorovna!"  Inna  used  to  say  when  she 
caught  her  in  the  nursery,  "I  am  ashamed  of  being  quite 
happy  until  you  have  yours  in  your  arms.  I  feel  selfish  in 
showing  my  joy  before  yours  comes." 

It  did  come  in  time,  but  not,  alas  !  to  gladden  its  mother. 
It  never  saw  the  light;  and  to  its  parents'  intense  sorrow, 
was  buried,  nameless,  unbaptized,  and  unsung.  To  add  to 
Grousha's  distress,  the  awfully  solemn  prayer  that  is  provided 
for  such  melancholy  occasions  was  read  with  a  distinctness 
and  emphasis  by  the  young  Priest  who  was  called  in,  that 
seemed  almost  insulting,  particularly  as  she  was  unprepared 
for  it,  and  supposed  that  the  same  would  be  used,  with  some 
omission,  that  is  read  on  the  birth  of  a  living  child.  The 
paroxysm  of  agony  that  ensued,  and  the  passionate  appeal  to 
the  Priest  to  confess  her  that  very  minute,  made  the  lady 
doctor  so  uneasy  that  she  sent  for  a  physician  immediately. 
Michael  Emihanovitch,  who  had  been  several  weeks  at  home 


'^|1 


K< 


362 


Adoption 


Adoption 


363 


in  lodgings  at  St.  Petersburg,  was  nearly  distracted  at  seeing  his 
wife  so  excited,  and  they  were  obliged  to  drag  him  away  from 
her  by  force.  The  Priest  shed  tears,  as  he  assured  the  poor 
young  woman  that  he  had  no  alternative  but  to  read  the  prayer 
in  question— that  the  other,  used  when  the  child  was  living, 
could  not  possibly  be  read  on  this  occasion,  because  it  con- 
tained repeated  allusion  to  it  by  name  even.  With  the  utmost 
gentleness  and  kindness,  soothing  her  like  a  child,  he  received 
her  confession,  and  promised  to  come  in  half  an  hour's  tune 
to  see  how  she  felt  He  gave  her  his  word  as  a  citizen  as  well 
as  a  Priest  that  he  acquitted  her  of  all  blame,  blessed  her, 
and,  as  the  father  of  a  baby  family,  permitted  himself  to  ex- 
press the  hope  that  the  ensuing  new  year— for  it  was  Christmas 
time— would  bring  her  new  joy  in  the  possession  of  a  living 

child. 

The  Vesnins  were  all  this  time  at  St.  Petersburg,  where 
Michael  Emilianovitch  declared  his  "  affairs  "  kept  him.  The 
journey  and  visit  to  Belgium  proved  less  ruinous  and  unsatis- 
factory than  Grousha  expected,  and  the  machines  had  been  sent 
to  Agafino  with  a  Belgian  machinist  to  put  them  up  and  show 
the  Russians  how  to  manage  them.  Grousha  was  beginning  to 
want  to  see  her  mother  and  sister,  and  Borinka  with  his  little 
brother,  and  to  pine  after  Mitinka's  grave.  She  was  very 
depressed,  although  she  recovered  her  health  very  rapidly  after 
her  last  illness ;  every  child  that  she  saw  brought  the  full  rush 
of  maternal  love  and  regret  to  her  heart,  and  she  prayed  night 
and  day  that  the  blessing  of  Father  Arseny  might  rest  on  her : 
she  even  made  a  vow  that  if  it  should  please  God  to  give  her  a 
living  child,  it  would  be  her  life's  business  to  endeavour  to  be 
a  good  mother  to  it,  and  to  bring  it  up  as  "  Christ's  faithful 
soldier  and  servant."     This  wish  at  last  became  a  mania,  and 


she  thought  and  did  nothing  but  with  reference  to  her  longed- 
for  child. 

They  had  returned  to  Agafino,  and  lived  there  for  nearly 
two  years  without  anything  remarkable  taking  place  in  their 
family  history,  when  one  autumn  afternoon,  when  the  rain  was 
drizzling,  as  it  only  does  in  a  Russian  autumn,  and  people 
could  find  in  their  hearts  to  do  nothing  more  energetic  than 
read  the  newspaper  or  knit  stockings,  a  little  boy  appeared  to 
enliven  the  family.  He  was  a  model  of  infantine  vigour  and 
health,  and  was  the  image  of  his  enraptured  mother,  whose  joy 
and  fervent  gratitude  were  nearly  the  cause  of  a  serious  feverish 
attack.  She  would  not  let  the  baby  be  out  of  her  sight,  and 
the  only  cure  for  hysterical  symptoms  was  to  lay  the  little 
swaddled  bundle  by  her  side.  When  she  was  in  a  state  to 
bring  her  thoughts  into  order,  and  had  recovered  the  shock,  as 
it  were,  of  so  great  mercy  and  happiness,  her  husband,  who 
looked  more  on  his  sons  as  heirs  to  his  wealth  than  as  "  chil- 
dren "  sent  "  from  the  Lord,"  asked  if  it  were  not  time  to  send 
for  the  Priest,  and  name  the  baby.  As  usual,  the  Calendar 
was  brought  out,  and  Anfisa  Fomishna,  who  still  filled  the 
situation  of  economka  in  the  Vesnins'  house,  and  who  was  a 
great  connoisseur  of  all  the  saints  and  their  respective  merits, 
and  a  first-rate  reader  of  Sclavonic,  which  Michael  Emiliano- 
vitch declared  was  worse  than  Greek  to  him,  read  out  the 
names  for  the  "  Sedmitza,"  or  seven  days,  counting  from  the 
date  of  the  child's  birth. 

"  October  month.  Eighteenth  day.  /  and  /,  that  is.  Very 
good.  Here  we  are  !  The  Holy  Apostle  and  Evangelist  Luke. 
Luke  Michaelovitch  ?"  she  inquired  of  the  listening  parents. 

"  No,  Matoushka,  that  won't  do." 

"  The  holy  martyr  Marinus,  and  Saint  Julian,  the  dweller  in 


3^4 


Adoption 


the  wilderness.     Julian!  that's  a  good  name,  Agrafena  Nes- 
torovna." 

"  Yes,  my  dear ;  but  then  our  coachman  is  called  Julian." 

"  Well,  then,  call  him  Yakovlitch,  and  the  baby  Juhan." 

"  No ;  he  always  smells  of  the  stables,  Anfisa  Fomishna," 
said  Vesnin,  laughing. 

"No  reason,"  decided  the  housekeeper;  '' Phita,  /,  that  is, 
the  nineteenth.  Holy  prophet  Joel,  and  the  holy  martyr  Varus, 
with  his  seven  companions  in  Egypt.  Blessed  Cleopatra — no, 
that's  a  woman's  name — and  her  son  John?"  and  she  looked 
up  inquiringly — "  Righteous  John  of.  Rilsk  ;  Sadoth,  Bishop  of 
Persia,  and  his  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  eighty  com- 
panions in  martyrdom." 

"  My  dearest  Anfisoushka !  you  don't  mean  to  say  that  all 
their  names  are  there?"  cried  Michael  Emilianovitch,  in 
pretended  alarrh. 

"  What  a  set  of  names  !"  sighed  Grousha. 

"All  the  same,  my  soul.  All  angels  are  alike  before  the 
Almighty,  similarly  the  same  as  all  men  are  alike  before  Him. 
Don't  sin.  Well,  there's  Hilarion ;  two  Hilarious,  the  Great, 
and  the  Bishop.  (Laria,  Laritchka.  I  knew  a  blind  beggar, 
named  Laria,  who  always  went  bareheaded,  and  my  dear 
mother  used  to  give  him  three  kopeckas  every  Saturday; 
we  children  used  to  call  him  Larka.)  H'm  !  Gains,  and  Zotic, 
Bishop  Averkius;  and  the  seven  youths — the  same  seven 
youths,  you  know,  who  went  to  sleep  for  three  hundred  and 
seventy-two  years,  and  then  woke  up  again." 

"Well,  what  of  them?" 

"  The  seven  youths  are  called  Maximilian,  lamblich, 
Martinian,  Diouysius,  Antoninus,  Constantine,  and  John." 

"  Maximilian  ?    Well,  I  choose  him  then.     Louisa  Carlo vna 


Adoption 


365 


had  the  sweetest  little  fellow  in  the  world  named  Max.     I  did 
not  know  it  existed  in  our  Calendar." 

"  Oh  !  what  a  name  to  choose  !  Maxia^plaxia  /"^  exclaimed 

Anfisa  Fomishna. 

"  I  knew  a  fellow,"  said  Michael  Emilianovitch,  "  a  captain 
in  the  Hussars,  who  is  called  so,  and  the  Duke  2  was  his  god- 
father."    (That  decided  him.)     "  It  will  do  very  well." 

"Maxia!"  said  Grousha,  addressing  the  unconscious  infant, 
who  was  "  taking  a  walk,"  that  is  lying  unswaddled,  and  stretch- 
ing its  little  limbs  and  yawning  in  an  uncouth,  awkward  manner; 
"  I  hope  you  are  not  going  to  be  a,J>/axm" 

"  His  name's-day  will  be  on  the  festival  of  the  most  pure 
Lady  of  Kazan,"  continued  Anfisa  Fomishna,  clasping  her 
book.  "  A  holiday,  you  know.  Well,  after  all  it  is  not  so  bad, 
except  that  it  hurts  one's  tongue  and  cracks  one's  teeth  to 

pronounce." 

•  Grousha  laughed,  and  kissed  the  child's  toes,  which  she 
declared  were  like  pink  sugar-plums  all  in  a  row.  She  allowed 
herself  all  sorts  of  freaks  and  nonsense,  in  the  plenitude  of 
her  happiness,  and  Seraphima,  who  had  four  children  by  this 
time,  could  only  shrug  her  shoulders  and  marvel  at  it  all.  She 
had  never  lost  a  child  ! 

Little  Max  only  cried  when  he  ought,  only  was  ill  when  he 
ought— by  the  Mede-and-Persian-like  laws  of  the  Russian  nurse 
—to  be  ill.  He  held  up  his  head  like  a  grenadier,  and  smiled 
when  ten  days  old,— a  sure  sign,  said  nurse,  that  he  would  soon 
die.  Small-minded  and  weak  as  it  may  seem,  such  prophecies 
always  made  Grousha  feel  wretched.  His  ears  being  limp,  and 
his  intelligence  extremely  early  developed,  were  also  deemed 

^  Flaxia,  cry-baby  ;  from  the  verb  plakatj  to  weep,  to  cry. 
2  Of  Leuchtenberg,  son-in-law  of  the  late  Emperor  Nicholas. 


n 


366 


Adoption 


Adoption 


367 


warnings  of  early  dissolution.  Nevertheless,  he  throve  beauti- 
fully, increasing  in  his  baby  wisdom  as  well  as  in  stature,  the 
pet  and  darling  of  all  who  knew  him.  He  "  went "  to  everybody, 
stranger  or  friend,  though  he  recognised  the  latter  always  with 
affectionate  caresses,  while  he  looked  gravely  and  inquiringly 
into  the  face  of  the  former,  and  was  never  shy  or  frightened 
of  moojiks ;  kissed  the  Popes,  and  crossed  himself  as  a  true 
orthodox  Russian  should,  when  little  more  than  a  year  old. 
Need  it  be  said  that  he  was  the  light  of  his  mother's  eyes  and 
the  darling  of  her  heart— the  pride  and  delight  of  his  father  ? 

Michael  Emilianovitch,  who  was  really  a  man  of  business, 
and  bent  on  doing  his  utmost  to  improve  his  estate  and  bene- 
fit his  workmen,  had  made  many  additions  and   alterations 
that  did  credit  to  his  judgment  and  to  his  benevolence.     First, 
he  built  an  hospital,  ^vith  houses  for  a  medical  man  and  an 
apothecary ;  then  a  school  for  boys  and  girls,  and  quarters  for 
the  teachers,  consisting  of  four  nice  rooms,  and  kitchen  and 
out-houses  to  each.     Ever  since  he  had  taken  up  his  abode  at 
Agafino,  he  had  been  at  war  with  the  Archbishop  of  the  diocese 
and  the  Protopope  of  the  district,  on  account  of  difficulties 
they  made  concerning  the  building  of  a  church  there ;  and  it 
was  not  till  he  threatened  to  lay  a  complaint  before  the  Holy 
Synod,  that  he  obtained  a  "blessing,"  i.e.  permission  to  begin 
the  good  work.     The  fact  was,  that  the  loss  of  that  particular 
part  of  his  parish  was  not  at  all  to  the  taste  of  the  Protopope, 
who  contrived  to  lay  difficulties  before  the  Vladika.^     Besides 
the  buildings,  there  were  also  several  additions  in  the  way 
of  society :  for  instance,  the  doctor,  a  very  good,  clever  man, 
his  wife  and  a  daughter,  who  was  a  great  musician ;  the  apothe- 
cary, whose  young  wife,  in  delicate  health,  was  detained  at 

^  Bishop. 


St.  Petersburg;  the  schoolmaster,  and  his  mother  and  young 
sisters,  and  the  schoolmistress,  who  was  a  Priest's  widow,  and 
her  daughters,  two  very  good-natured  girls,  who  were  great 
favourites  with  little  Max.  With  these  good  people,  who 
adored  her  for  her  kindness  and  readiness  to  assist  and  be 
obliging  whenever  she  had  an  opportunity,  and  with  her  husband 
and  darling  boy,  Grousha  was  perfectly  happy.  Yes,  perfectly ; 
because  she  was  sensible  enough  to  refrain  from  expecting 
her  belongings  to  be  faultless,  and  was  always  ready  to  see 
the  bright  side  of  things  and  of  people. 

The  church  walls  were  nearly  half  built  when  little  Maxia's 
fourth  name's-day  came  round,  and  just  about  that  time  Michael 
Emilianovitch  received  some  letters,  post  after  post,  which 
evidently  made  him  anxious  and  unsettled ;  and  at  last  he  took 
Grousha  into  counsel,  the  result  of  their  consultations  being 
that  she  packed  him  off  to  St.  Petersburg,  but  only  for  one 
month.  The  fact  was,  that  his  agent  in  the  capital  had  just 
died,  when  he  was  on  the  point  of  selling  some  old  **Lom- 
bardy"  four  per  cent,  bank  billets,  and  buying  new  Government 
ones  at  five  per  cent.  So  much  capital  had  been  expended  on 
the  buildings  and  machines,  and  such  good  incomes  were  being 
paid  to  the  new  staff,  that  both  the  Vesnins  considered  it  their 
duty  towards  Max  and  towards  their  serfs  to  put  their  affairs 
into  the  best  state  they  could,  and  to  seize  the  present  oppor- 
tunity ;  and  as  there  seemed  to  be  no  one  of  their  acquaint- 
ance at  St.  Petersburg  who  could  undertake  the  exchange  of 
such  a  capital  as  Michael  Emilianovitch's,  it  was  decided  that 
he  had  better  do  it  himself.  They  had  been  so  peaceful  and 
happy  since  their  return  to  Agafino  from  St.  Petersburg,  that 
he  did  not  at  all  like  the  idea  of  leaving  home;  but  to  lose 
time  was  to  lose  thousands,  so  he  made  up  his  mind  to  go. 


368 


Adoption 


Adoption 


369 


\ 


The  agent  had  left  some  of  Vesnin's  affairs  in  such  a  dis- 
ordered state,  that  it  took  longer  to  bring  them  to  rights  than 
Michael  Emilianovitch  anticipated.  Christmas  came  again, 
and  he  was  still  absent.  Seraphima  invited  her  sister  and 
nephew  and  the  Agafino  doctor's  family  to  come  and  "  meet " 
the  New  Year  at  her  house :  and  Max  begged  so  hard  to  go 
and  play  with  his  cousins,  that  Grousha  consented,  the  weather 
being  particularly  mild  and  lovely.  There  was  to  be  a  Christmas- 
tree,  with  a  gift  for  every  guest,  little  or  big,  and  other  enter- 
tainments, which,  when  the  time  came,  were  thoroughly  en- 
joyed. Max  was  very  interesting,  and  very  becomingly  dressed 
in  a  Russian  suit;  very  full  black  velvet  charivari  (knicker- 
bockers), high  boots  with  red  tops,  and  a  blue  Persian  shirt, 
embroidered  in  the  eastern  style;  he  was  a  tall,  stout,  well- 
built  little  fellow,  with  blue  eyes  and  a  very  light  hair,  rather  a 
large  mouth,  and  red  cheeks — quite  a  Russian. 

Grousha  was  as  happy  as  any  of  the  children  at  the  begin- 
ning of  the  evening,  and  was  the  prime  mistress  of  the  cere- 
monies, but  towards  the  end  she  became  thoughtful  and  dull ; 
one  of  the  mammas  had  told  her  that  a  party  of  gymnasts 
(several  of  whom  were  present)  had,  it  was  supposed,  brought  a 
new  disease,  something  between  measles  and  scarlet-fever,  from 

the  Government  town,  and  that  several  children  had  it  at  Q . 

She  resolved  to  return  home  the  next  day. 

Max  slept  long  and  soundly,  and  did  not  open  his  eyes  till 
nearly  noon,  after  the  party.  His  breakfast  of  warm  milk  and 
a  rusk  was  brought  to  him,  but  there  was  a  reluctance  to  par- 
take of  it  that  at  once  alarmed  the  ever-anxious  mother;  and 
when  he  came  and  laid  his  head  against  her,  she  found  his 
temple  so  hot,  that  she  at  once  sent  for  Parpheny  Ivanovitch, 
the  Agafino  doctor,  who  had  gone  to  pay  a  few  visits.      He 


quieted  her  fears,  but  bid  her  remain  at  Q for  three  days 

longer  in  order  to  see  the  results  of  the  feverish  symptoms. 
They  continued,  but  did  not  increase ;  and  during  the  course 
of  the  third  day  the  eruption  appeared,  but  although  it  was 
"friendly"  Max  did  not  appear  at  all  ill;  Seraphima's  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  caught  the  contagion,  were  much  worse, 
and  much  more  exacting,  cross,  and  unmanageable.     All  the 
symptoms  of  the  strange  new  complaint  developed  themselves 
fully ;  no  sore  throat,  but  the  eruption  of  scarlatina,  and  the 
sneezing  and  weak  eyes  of  measles,  with  the  fever  of  both.    No 
medicine  whatever  was. given  to  them;  they  were  merely  kept 
in   one   room  of  moderate  warmth,  and   supplied  with  new 
mead  to  bring  out  the  rash,  and  in  a  week's  time  they  were 
all  well  again,  though  very  fretful  and  discontented  with  their 
lot  in  being  kept  in  one  room,  which  was  still  strictly  pre- 
scribed by  their  medical  man.     Grousha  was  quite  worn  out 
with  watching  and   self-imposed  sleepless   nights  (for  which 
there  was  not  the  slightest  necessity),  and  Parpheny  Ivano- 
vitch begged  her  to  send  for  Olinka,  the  schoolmistress's  elder 
daughter,  to  assist  her  in  amusing  and  attending  on  Max ;  he 
was  very  good  on  the  whole,  but  troubled  with  the  irritability 
of  convalescence,  which  even  his  mother  could  not  entirely 
soothe. 

Olia  arrived  very  quickly,  and  Max  himself  packed  off  his 
mother  to  go  to  sleep,  while  he  related  every  particular  of  his 
illness,  of  the  party,  and  of  Basil's  caprices,  which  made  a  great 
impression  on  him.  "  I  never  saw  such  a  capricious  boy  as 
that  Basil  in  my  life,"  said  he.  "  I  am  sure  he  can't  love  his 
mother  a  bit !  and  how  she  does  scold  him  !  My  Mamasha  is 
much  kinder."  Grousha  heard  this  from  her  sofa-bed  in  the 
next  room,  and  fell  asleep  as  happy  as  ever. 

2a 


370 


Adoption 


Adoption 


371 


All  the  little  patients  were  rapidly  regaining  their  strength 
and  ordinary  frames  of  mind,  when  a  travelling  milliner  arrived 

at  Q with  her  merchandise.     Seraphima  was  seized  with 

an  imperative  want  of  a  new  velvet  mantle,  and  went  to  look 
at  the  milliner's  stock,  but  could  not  decide  which  to  choose. 
The  Frenchwoman  would  not  consent  to  her  taking  the  mantles 
home,  and  nothing  remained  but  to  persuade  Grousha  to  ac- 
company her  on  a  second  visit.  Confident  in  her  son's  obedi- 
ence, and  in  Olinka's  vigilance,  she  consented ;  and  Seraphima, 
besides  leaving  strict  orders  with  the  nurses  and  maids  not  to 
let  her  children  run  out  of  their  nursery,  begged  Olinka  to  keep 
a  sharp  look-out  on  their  movements,  and  in  case  of  rebellion 
to  put  the  offender  in  the  corner.  Grousha  merely  said, 
"  Maxinka  will  not  leave  the  room,  I  know,"  as  she  kissed  him 
at  parting. 

Seraphima  was  in  raptures  with  a  very  successful  bargain- 
ing, and  a  splendid  mantle,  and  talked  incessantly  on  the  road. 
When  they  entered  the  house,  they  were  astonished  at  hearing 
the  sounds  of  a  grinding-organ  proceeding  from  the  apart- 
ments, and  to  Seraphima's  horror  her  little  three-year-old  girl 
ran  to  meet  her  m  the  lobby,  and  embraced  her  knees  be- 
fore she  had  thrown  her  fur  cloak  off.  The  cold  in  those 
parts  of  Russia  is  so  intense  that  it  is  a  great  risk  to  enter  the 
room  where  children  or  sick  and  convalescent  persons  are, 
immediately  on  return  from  a  walk  or  drive ;  because  the 
dress  brings  with  it  such  a  quantity  of  cold  air,  that  it  requires 
several  minutes  to  warm  it,  before  approaching  the  very  young 
or  weak. 

It  is  not  to  be  wondered  at  that  Seraphima  was  extremely 
angry,  and  sent  off  the  affectionate  little  pet  with  all  haste  to 
her  nursery,  utterly  at  a  loss  to  account  for  the  organ.     On 


entering  the  zala,  however,  she  found  all  her  children  (except 
the  baby,  who  was  asleep)  >vrapped  in  various  shawls,  com- 
forters, and  even  quilts,  standing  in  a  group  at  the  farther  end, 
and  looking  at  the  gymnastic  performances  of  a  wretched  little 
Jewish  girl,  who  was  contorting  her  limbs  in  various  exercises 
to  the  music  of  "  The  Alarm  Galop," 

"  What  is  the  meaning  of  this,  nurse  ?  Avdotia !  Get  along 
with  you,  you  naughty  children  !  And  that  Olia  ?  what  is  she 
about?"  The  children  stole  away  quietly,  all  crying.  "  How 
dare  you  disobey  me?  Did  I  not  desire  you  to  keep  the 
children  in  the  nursery?" 

"  They  cried  so,"  began  the  nurse. 

"  If  they  cried  their  eyes  out,  still  you  should  have  kept  them 
in  the  nursery.  There  are  at  most  twelve  degrees  of  warmth 
here ;  and  they  only  just  recovered !  And  how  dare  you  admit 
those  people  in  my  absence  ?" 

"  We  thought  that  for  five  minutes  it  would  do  no  harm." 

"  The  Alarm  Galop  "  suddenly  ceased,  and  the  dirty  Hebrew 
grinder  began  to  play  "  The  little  Canary-bird  is  silent,"  with  a 
screeching  accompaniment  of  the  little  Jewess'  voice. 

"  Hold  your  unbaptized  tongue  this  instant !"  shouted  Sera- 
phima, ready  to-  cry,  "  and  be  off  with  you  !"  The  Jew  left  go 
of  the  handle,  but  the  instrument  emitted  such  hideous  unde- 
fined sounds,  that  he  was  obliged  to  grind  to  the  end  of  the 
phrase,  while  his  miserable  companion  put  on  a  long  petticoat 
over  the  ballet-like  garments  she  had  been  figuring  in,  and  with 
an  involuntary  tinkle  of  the  triangle  that  she  had  in  her  hand, 
performed  an  elaborate  curtsey  and  left  the  room. 

Grousha  had  cautiously  approached  the  apartment  where 
she  left  Max,  and  now  found  him  comforting  and  coaxing  poor 
Olia,  who  was  in  tears,  and  in  great  trouble.     The  poor  girl 


J: 


if! 

,1 


72 


Adoption 


Adoption 


373 


said  she  had  done  all  she  could  to  prevent  the  nurses  and 
children  going  to  look  at  the  acrobatic  performance,  advising 
them  to  wait  till  Seraphima  Nestorovna's  return,  but  that  all 
her  endeavours  were  in  vain ;  the  servants  were  very  nide,  and 
desired  her  not  to  interfere,  so  she  returned  to  Max,  who, 
though  he  greatly  wished  to  see  the  sight,  heroically  submitted 
to  her  reminders  of  Mamasha's  wishes. 

"  I  did  not  go  out  of  the  room,  Mamasha  !"  he  said  repeat- 
edly ;  "  did  I,  Olitchka  ?  indeed  I  did  not !  I  am  a  good  boy  ! 
yes,  Mamasha !" 

"  Yes,  my  soul.  But  do  not  get  on  my  lap  just  yet,  wait  till 
I  am  a  little  warmer. — Never  mind,  Olinka  dear,  I  am  sure 
Seraphima  Nestorovna  will  acquit  you  of  all  blame." 

It  was  nearly  February,  and  Grousha  had  already  ordered  a 
troyka  of  horses  to  be  sent  from  Agafino  for  her,  when  she 
was  again  made  anxious  and  uneasy,  and  felt  she  must  put 
off  her  return  for  a   day  or  two   longer.     Little   Saschinka, 
Seraphima's   three -year- old   daughter,   had  become    languid, 
sleepy,  more  than  usually  irritable,  but  stout,  all  at  once ;  and 
other  symptoms  revealed  themselves,  which  caused  them  to 
send  for  Parpheny  Ivanovitch  (the  old  doctor  scarcely  left  his 
house,  and  Pankreffsky  had  been  gone  several  years,  and  had 
a  fine  appointment  at  Kieff,  and  a  very  charming  wufe),  who 
said  she  had  caught  cold,  and  prescribed  for  her.     He  told 
Grousha,  however,  that  the  symptoms  were  dropsical,  and  that 
they  were  sometimes  the  result  of  cold  after  scarlet-fever. 
The  disease  had  left  the  house  full  three  weeks  before,  but  he 
urged  Grousha  to  remain  where  she  was,  as  a  journey  of  fifteen 
versts  might  be  injurious  to  Max,  and  added  that  convalescents 
from  this  new  form  of  complaint  were  probably   peculiarly 
susceptible  of  cold,  as  several  other  children  had  dropsical 


symptoms  also.  Dreading  their  appearance  in  her  precious 
boy,  Grousha  scarcely  left  him  for  five  minutes  together ;  and 
he  continued  well  for  another  week,  when  he  began  to  com- 
plain of  his  boots  being  tight,  and  his  mother  discovered  that 
he  had  begun  to  swell.  Poor  little  Saschinkha  suffered  dread- 
fully, and  would  not  let  any  one  touch  her ;  two  of  the  others 
were  ill,  but  less  seriously,  and  the  remaining  three  were  well. 
How,  when,  and  where  Max  could  possibly  have  got  a  chill 
was  as  much  a  mystery  as  the  illness  of  little  Dmitry.  Though 
much  disfigured,  he  appeared  so  cheerful,  and  declared  himself 
feeling  so  well,  that  his  mother  did  not  feel  particularly  un- 
happy about  him,  and  the  shock  was  more  than  ever  terrible, 
the  wrench  more  than  ever  heart-breaking,  when,  a  week  after 
the  symptoms  had  appeared,  and  after  a  particularly  cheerful 
day  and  pleasant  evening,  he  suddenly  became  very  ill  of 
dropsy  in  the  heart,  and,  before  the  morning  dawned,  was  "on 
the  table."  He  was  sensible  and  loving  to  the  moment  of  his 
death,  his  last  act  being  one  of  obedience  to  his  agonized 
mother's  wish — "  Cross  yourself,  darling." 

"It  can't  be,"  said  Grousha.  Although  she  had  been 
crossing  him  every  time  he  sighed,  with  the  words,  "  Lord ! 
receive  his  spirit."  Although  she  saw  that  that  pure  spirit 
had  fled,  she  could  not  believe  that  it  really  was  so.  They 
brought  feathers  and  mirrors,  and  }ield  them  to  the  lips  of  the 
pale  fixed  face,  but  the  former  remained  motionless,  the  latter 
bright.  No,  it  was  not  a  mistake,  but  still  she  could  not 
believe  it 

She  could  not  cry — could  only  make  one  praver,  "  Forsake 
me  not,  O  Lord  God  of  my  salvation."  During  tne  succeeding 
days  of  preparation  she  was  the  mover  and  manager  of  all,  wrote 
to  her  husband,  and  helped  Seraphima  to  nurse  the  invalid 


374 


Adoption 


children,  but  for  ever  and  ever  the  one  thought  would  remain 
in  her  aching  heart— "Max  is  dead!"  Two  days  after  the 
funeral,  Michael  Emilianovitch  returned  home,  to  find  that 
home  childless. 

It  was  summer  again,  and  Grousha  was  walking  up  and  down 
the  paths  of  her  garden  at  Agafino,  thinking  how  her  little  boy 
used  to  vex  her  by  twisting  round  on  one  heel  on  the  newly 
laid  gravel,  thereby  making  little  holes  in  it,  and  asking  herself 
if  she  had  always  been  right  and  just  towards  him,  but  feeling 
thankful  that  she  could  acquit  herself  of  blame — when  Anfisa 
Fomishna  met  her,  in  her  gardening  costume,  and  with  very 
mouldy  hands,  with  the  backs  of  which,  as  she  came  up  to 
Grousha,  she  endeavoured  to  smear  away  tears  that  were 
flowing  with  increased  rapidity. 

"  What  on  earth  is  the  matter,  Anfisa  Fomishna  ?" 

« Sh — sh —  nothing.  Only  the  apothecary's  wife  is  in  the 
garden  there,"  pointing  to  the  end  of  their  own,  "  with  her 
children.     Come  and  look  at  them,  sh — sh  I" 

Grousha  followed  quietly,  and  suffered  herself  to  be  led  up  a 
great  soft  bank  of  flourishing  pumpkins,  all  in  flower,  which 
were  sprawling  over  an  immense  space  in  the  south,  basking  in 
the  bright  sunshine.  Then  from  a  little  chink  in  the  fence  the 
housekeeper  showed  her  a  family  picture  that  brought  the  first 
refireshing  sobs  of  "  natural  grief"  that  had  relieved  her  poor 
heart  since  her  son's  death. 

A  pale,  thin,  shabbily  dressed,  but  very  pretty  young  girl  was 
pacing  slowly  up  and  down  an  unplanted  kitchen  garden,  with 
a  little  child  half  asleep  in  her  arms,  and  singing  Annchen  von 
Tharau,  which  Grousha  had  often  heard  her  German  friend  of 
the  twenty-fourth  line  lull  her  thriving  babies  to  rest  with.  She 
was  still  gazing  at  the  evidently  consumptive  mother,  and  the 


Adoption 


375 


lovely  cherub  of  a  child,  when  a  third  figure  appeared,  shouting 
noisily  at  a  hen  that  he  was  chasing — and  it  was  at  the  sight  of 
him,  a  little  boy  of  four  or  five  years  old,  and  the  words  in 
German  addressed  to  him  by  his  mother — "  Max,  Max,  don't 
wake  your  sister !"  that  made  Grousha  bend  her  head  down 
to  the  earth  and  cry  hysterically.  Anfisa  Fomishna,  in  a  great 
fright,  but  glad  that  her  plans  had  succeeded,  and  crying  with 
all  her  might,  carried  her  ofl"  like  a  child  into  the  house,  and 
after  letting  her  have  her  cry  out,  proposed  to  send  for  the 
little  boy. 

"Oh  do !  do!  dearest  Anfisoushka!"  said  Grousha,  gulping 
down  the  glass  of  iced  water  that  Michael  Emilianovitch  had 
been  urging  her  to  drink. 

"  You  will  be  better  now,  my  friend,"  he  said,  as  he  drew  her 
closer  to  him  and  kissed  her  burning  cheek. 

In  ten  minutes'  time  the  housekeeper  returned,  leading  in 
the  little  neighbour,  who,  except  in  his  name  and  age,  had 
nothing  to  remind  the  Vesnins  of  his  sainted  namesake.  He 
had  his  father's  dark  grey  eyes,  almost  hazel,  and  brown  hair, 
and  a  sun-burnt,  bright  complexion.  He  was  rather  put  out  at 
being  cried  over  and  kissed,  in  such  a  passionate  manner,  but 
promised  to  love  Grousha  and  to  come  very  often  to  see  her ; 
was  extremely  communicative,  and  seemed  to  be  extremely 
conceited.  He  had  various  little  tricks  of  the  Russian  "rising 
generation  "  description,  that  convulsed  the  whole  party  with 
laughter.  Michael  Emilianovitch  was  delighted  with  him, 
promised  to  take  him  out  driving  and  even  shooting,  and  in- 
troduced him  to  his  horses  and  dogs.  Anfisa  Fomishna  brought 
forth  treasures  of  another  kind ;  first  a  delicious  breakfast  of  all 
sorts  of  country  good  things,  and  afterwards  sweets  in  abun- 
dance.    The  child  was  evidently  pleased  with  his  reception, 


Z7^ 


Adoption 


Adoption 


377 


and  when  the  housekeeper  led  him  away  on  the  expiration  of 
the  stipulated  half-hour,  he  declared  that  the  clocks  must  be 
wrong,  and  that  Mamasha  was  very  glad  to  get  rid  of  him, 
because  he  made  such  a  desperate  row  at  home. 

Anfisa  Fomishna  popped  her  head  into  the  room  on  coming 
home,  and  announced  that  Amalia  Carlovna  was  dressing  to 
make  Grousha  a  visit.  She  had  arrived  from  St.  Petersburg  but 
a  few  days  before,  and  Michael  Emilianovitch,  who  had  seen 
her  in  the  winter,  said  that  he  feared  she  had  only  come  to 
Agafino  to  die,  for  that  even  then  she  was  far  gone  in  consump- 
tion, the  result,  he  seemed  to  think,  of  anxiety  and  discomfort 
caused  by  her  handsome  husband's  intemperance.  She  soon 
arrived,  and  introduced  herself  as  having  a  small  claim  on 
Grousha's  friendHness,  being  the  sister  of  the  German  piano- 
forte-maker's wife,  the  bonny  house-wife  who  used  to  teach  her 
domestic  economy ! 

Grousha  was  very  glad :  she  could  trace  a  strong  family 
likeness ;  but  oh !  how  sad  a  difference  between  the  plump 
rosy  Louisa,  and  this  poor  transparent  thing !  She  soon  at- 
tached herself  to  the  Vesnins  with  all  the  sentimentalism  of  her 
German  nature ;  and  they  did  all  they  could  to  pet  and  indulge 
her  during  the  short  space  that  she  had  to  live.  She  used  to 
tell  Grousha  how  she  and  Hanschen,  as  she  would  call  her 
Ivan  Vasilievitch,  fell  in  love  when  he  was  a  student  at  Dorpt ; 
how  naughty  and  fascinating  he  was;  how  her  dear  Vater  and 
Mutter  would  not  consent,  and  how  they  both  wept ;  and  how 
at  last  she  married  him  when  only  fifteen  years  and  a  half  old 
— that  she  was  not  twenty-two  now,  yet  had  lost  three  children, 
and  was  soon,  akh,  how  soon  !  going  to  join  them. 

She  got  weaker  and  weaker,  worse  and  worse ;  her  husband 
drank  more  deeply  than  ever  to  drown  grief,  for  he  adored  his 


Mdliushka— at  least,  so  he  said ;  and  little  Max — who,  like  his 
St.  Petersburg  cousin,  had  made  such  an  impression  on  Grousha, 
and  had  been  named  after  a  dear  brother  of  Louisa  and  Amalia 
Carlovna — became  an  almost  constant  resident  in  the  house  of 
the  proprietor. 

On  one  occasion  Grousha  had  been  reading  German  hymns 
to  the  dying  girl,  and  talking  to  her  seriously  and  sweetly  about 
the  "  rest"  that  is  prepared  "  for  the  people  of  God,"  when 
they  came  to  earthly  things,  and  Grousha  ventured  to  hint  what 
had  lain  on  her  mind  ever  since  she  saw  Max  and  knew  how 
ill  his  mother  was,  and  what  had  been  proposed  half  in  joke 
by  Michael  Emilianovitch — no  less  a  business  than  seriously 
adopting  the  little  fellow,  in  the  place  of  his  namesake.  The 
young  mother  eagerly  caught  the  hint,  and  implored  of  Grousha 
to  carry  it  into  effect ;  but  they  both  dreaded  opposition  on  the 
part  of  the  child's  father,  and  still  more  of  his  maternal  grand- 
mother, to  whom  Grousha  undertook  to  write;  and  on  her 
return  home  she  spoke  to  her  husband  about  it  earnestly  and 
seriously. 

"  He  is  a  fine  boy,"  said  Michael  Emilianovitch,  after  a 
tearful  consideration  of  the  matter  between  the  husband  and 
wife,  "  and  seems  healthy  (God  be  with  him  !) ;  but,  my  little 
friend,  he  is  not  as  caressing — as  heartily  affectionate  as  ours 
was.     Though,  to  be  sure,  we  can't  expect  that." 

"  I  do  not  mean  to  say  that  he  can  ever  fill  Max's  place  in 
my  heart,  Michael,  that  is  of  course  out  of  the  question ;  but 
to  have  a  child  of  his  age  and  name  to  care  for  and  to  do  for 
would  be  a  great  comfort  to  me." 

" y/"God  gives  us  others?" 

"  Max  will  be  our  eldest  son." 

"  You  will  love  the  others  better  than  him,  poor  boy  !" 


» 
♦ 


I 


'1 


3/8 


Adoption 


"  I  do  not  promise  more  than  I  can  perform.  I  will  be  just 
to  him,  and  he  shall  never  know  that  I  love  him  less.  Besides, 
in  all  probability  we  shall  not  have  any  more,  and  in  our  old 
age  we  should  regret  having  passed  this  dear  little  orphan  by. 
No,  Michael — let  me  have  him  !" 

"  Well,  my  soul,  you  shall.  He  shall  be  ours.  But  we  must 
talk  to  Ivan  Vasilievitch,  and  look  at  the  Code,  to  make  sure 
of  what  the  laws  say  on  the  subject.  It  is  a  serious  business. 
I  believe  there  is  a  contract  to  be  signed  by  us,  as  well  as  by 
the  father." 

"Why?" 

"  Because  it  would  be  very  provoking  if  the  father  were  to 
claim  him  when  he  grows  up,  after  my  educating  him  and 
caring  for  him  all  the  time  of  his  boyhood.  And  poor  Galkin 
is  not  to  be  much  depended  on.  I  shall  dispatch  him  as  soon 
as  his  wife  dies." 

"  Oh,  Michael  Emilianovitch  !" 

"  My  friend,  his  unfortunate  habit  is  especially  dangerous 
(not  to  him,  but  to  others)  in  his  profession.  I  am  for  ever 
fearful  of  his  poisoning  somebody  by  mistake,  or  sending  an 
internal  medicine  with  a  yellow  signature  or  an  external  with  a 
white  one,  which  is  quite  possible.  He  is  an  uncommonly 
clever  fellow,  but  wine  levels  man  with  the  brutes,  you 
know." 

Galkin  was  invited  to  spend  the  evening,  to  look  over 
and  help  to  arrange  some  beautiful  botanical  engravings  that 
Michael  Emilianovitch  had  just  received ;  and  towards  supper- 
time,  while  his  head  was  still  clear,  Vesnin  broached  the  sub- 
ject, representing  it,  of  course,  in  such  a  light  that  he  would  be 
doing  Grousha  an  infinite  service  by  consenting.  "  And,"  added 
Michael  Emilianovitch,  "  I  trust  that  your  child  would  in  no 


Adoption 


379 


wise  suffer,  for  he  would  be  my  eldest  son,  even  if  I  were  to 
have  half-a-dozen  others." 

The  wretched  man  burst  into  tears,  lamented  his  fate, 
mourned  his  dying  Mdliushka,  and  then  joyfully  consented 
without  farther  ado.  Under  pretext  of  keeping  the  invalid 
quiet,  it  was  arranged  that  Max  should  forthwith  take  up  his 
abode  as  a  visitor  with  the  Vesnins  during  his  mother's 
lifetime,  and  afterwards  proceed  to  business. 

The  first  pang  that  Grousha  felt  on  the   subject  was  the 
utter  impossibility  of  consenting  to  dress  the  new  Max  in  his 
predecessor's  clothes.     His  own  were  in  a  deplorable  state ; 
but  it  seemed  to  Grousha  indelicate  to  Galkin's  feelings  to  buy 
him  anything  until  all  the  formalities  were  completed,  and  he 
was  really  her  own  adopted  son.   Anfisa  Fomishna,  accustomed 
for  so  many  years  to  the  fine  linen   and  whole  garments 
of  her  employers,  was  horrified  at  his  "  little  bits  of  rags,'*  as 
she  called  them,  and  persuaded  Grousha  to  make  him  some 
shirts,  and  knit  him  some   socks,  and  to  do  up  the   outer 
garments  sufficiently  to  avoid   distressing  Amalia   Carlovna. 
The  volatility  of  the  boy's  disposition   showed  itself  by  his 
becoming  completely  reconciled  to  leaving   his  parents  and 
sister,  and  strongly  but  not  as  yet  tenderly  attached   to  the 
members  of  his  new  home  j   and  Grousha  had  a  daily  and 
hourly  trial  in  seeing  Michael  Emilianovitch  take  an  interest 
and  delight  in  him,  to  an  extent  that  he  had  never  shown 
to  his  own  less  high-spirited  son.     She  was  glad  that  this 
period  of  probation  had  been  arranged,  in  order  to  test  her 
own  heart  before  receiving  him  in  the  eyes  of  the  worid  and 
the  law  as  her  own  child.     She  did  not  then  know  that  the 
blessing  of  the  Church  is  also  instituted  in  the  Greco-Russian 
religion  on  occasion  of  Adoption.     The  one  thought,  however, 


!l 


fl 


38o 


Adoption 


\  \ 


.1  • 


that  obstacles  might  arise,  proved  to  her  that  she  really  did 
love  the  lively  loving  little  darling,  for  the  clasp  of  his  arms 
round  her  neck,  when  she  went  to  his  bed-side  in  the  dark  to 
bless  him,  told  him  that  he  loved  her,  though  he  did  not 
choose  to  show  it  before  others.  She  gradually  became  so 
accustomed  to  his  presence,  that  the  idea  of  losing  him  was 
painful  to  a  degree  that  proved  to  her  that  she  was  sincere  to 
herself. 

Galkin  grew  worse  rather  than  better ;  and  Michael  Emi- 
lianovitch  showed  his  kindness  and  generosity  by  hiring  a 
Government  sous -apothecary  for  a  time,  on  pretext  of 
Calkin's  being  so  taken  up  with  his  sick  wife,  but  in  reality 
to  watch  the  operations  of  the  apothecary,  and  to  prevent 
accidents.  He  was  not  required  long — after  a  relapse  the 
poor  girl  rapidly  sank.  Grousha  sent  three  hundred  versts 
for  a  German  pastor  to  administer  the   Holy  Sacrament  to 

her,  and  persuaded  him  to  remain  at  Q at  the  Vesnins' 

expense  just  a  little  time  longer,  in  order  to  bury  her  according 
to  the  rites  of  her  own  Church.  Calkin  knew  nothing  of 
this  private  arrangement ;  he  was  completely  lost  in  grief  and 
in  seeking  for  consolation.  The  poor  little  baby  girl  was 
taken  to  the  schoolmistress,  and  was  to  be  sent  by  the  first 
opportunity  to  Toula,  where  her  paternal  grandmother  lived, 
and  who  returned  a  willing  consent  to  Max's  adoption. 

"  You'll  be  a  better  mother  to  him  than  ever  I  could  be," 
whispered  the  poor  weak  Amalia,  holding  Crousha's  hand  in 
both  hers,  and  gazing  into  her  face  with  those  glassy  eyes. 

"  I'll  do  my  best,  darling." 

"  And  never,  never  excuse  him — when  he  is  older — if  he — 
if  he  is  like  my  Hanschen." 

"  We  won't  let  him  be  so,  with  Cod's  help." 


Adoption 


381 


"Who  knows?  My  Hanschen  was  not  so  before.  And 
you'll  let  him  speak  German,  won't  you?" 

"  Of  course.  Some  of  these  days  we  will  take  him  to  see 
your  father  and  mother  at  Dorpt.  Perhaps  he  will  go  to  the 
university  there  :  would  not  that  be  nice?" 

"  Akh,  yes  !     Akh,  how  tired  I  am  !" 

"  Then  rest,  darling— don't  talk.  Shut  your  eyes,  and  think 
how  happy  you  are  going  to  be." 

"  Yes so  happy,"  murmured  Amalia.     She  was  soon  dozing, 

and  Grousha  saw  her  no  more  alive. 

She  was  glad  to  find  that  Max  was  at  first  inconsolable  for 
his  mother's  loss,  and  was  rewarded  for  the  generous  and 
amiable  feeling  by  his  declaring  that  now  mamma  was  dead 
he  should  love  Agrafena  Nestorovna.  But  she  was  to  find  a 
thorn  in  that  rose,  too. 

"Then  let  me  be  your  mother,  Maxinka;   call  me  Ma- 

masha !" 

The   child  looked  gravely  into  her  face,  and   shook  his 

head. 

"  Impossible,"  he  said,  as  if  it  were  a  settled  matter. 

"Why  impossible?" 

"Because  you  are  Agrafena  Nestorovna,"  he  said,  after  a 
pause,  and  with  a  slight  laugh,  "  you  are  not  Mamasha."  And 
she  saw  that  it  would  not  do  to  hurry  him. 

It  was  indeed  out  of  the  question  to  leave  Galkin  as  apothe- 
cary; Michael  Emilianovitch  was  sorry  for  the  man,  but  the 
lives  of  his  serfs  were  a  responsibility  that  he  deeply  felt,  and 
Parphdny  Ivanovitch  used  to  grumble  and  tell  tales  out  of 
school  more  often  than  was  agreeable  on  the  subject.  With 
some  difficulty  he  procured  him  an  appointment  as  lecturer  on 
chemistry  at  a  Government  gymnasium;  and  when  he  had 


4 

I 


w 


II 


I 


II 


V 


382 


Adoption 


Adoption 


383 


1 1 


gone,  both  he  and  his  wife  felt  that  Max  was  almost  their 
own.  Tremendous  correspondence  had  been  going  on 
between  Michael  Emilianovitch  and  various  Government 
secretaries,  and  other  persons  in  the  Civil  Service,  and  they 
had  got  as  far  as  the  Governor ;  but,  after  all  said,  done,  and 
written,  nothing  could  be  completely  arranged  without  the 
sanction  of  the  Emperor. 

Grousha  turned  pale  when  she  heard  this  —  and  from 
whom?  From  Anfisa  Fomishna,  who  all  along  had  taken 
a  vivid  interest  in  the  affair,  and  who  thought,  with  justice, 
that  the  presence  of  childish  happiness  and  life  would 
do  Grousha's  health  good  as  well  as  her  heart.  It  seems 
that  a  childless  merchant  had  adopted  a  distant  relation 
of  hers,  and  she  well  remembered  all  that  passed  on  that 
occasion;  and  that  the  magistrate  who  drew  up  the  "act," 
as  the  contract  is  called,  told  the  assembled  relatives  that 
the  adoption  of  a  child  by  a  noble  required  the  Imperial 

consent 

"But  suppose  the  Emperor  should  not  please  to  consent?" 

said  Grousha. 

" Nonsense  !  what  objections  could  he  make?     It  is  merely 

a  form." 

"Oh!" 

Grousha  repeated  this  to  her  husband,  and  he  said  that  it 
was  perfectly  true,  but  that  she  need  not  be  uneasy — the 
Emperor  would  be  very  glad  if  he  knew  that  such  a  fine 
little  subject  had  been  saved  from  such  a  lost-one  of  a  father, 
and  very  much  obliged  to  them  for  adopting  him.  "  But  the 
shoe  that  pinches  is  this,  Agrafena :  the  clauses  in  the  Code 
of  Family  Laws  say,  that  '  a  childless  noble  may  adopt  one  of 
his  nearest  relatives.'     Now,  the  authorities  through  whose 


hand  this  affair  must  pass  stick  to  the  fact  that  Max  is  a 
stranger  in  blood  to  us  both." 

"Well?" 

"  It  seems  a  serious  objection,  but  one  that  I  hope — that  I 
insist  on  overcoming.  You  know  that  I  am  an  utter  orphan. 
The  mortality  and  childlessness  in  our  family  is  something 
extraordinary.  To  begin  with,  my  two  grandfathers  were 
both  only  sons,  and  their  sisters  died  unmarried  or  childless ; 
my  parents  were  only  children,  and  my  five  brothers  and 
sisters  died  in  infancy.  One  grandmother  had  a  sister  in  a 
convent,  who  never  married;  the  other  had  three  brothers, 
bachelors,  who  were  all  killed  in  the  Turkish  wars.  So  that  I 
have  no  relations  that  I  am  aware  of.  I  am  perfectly  justified 
in  adopting  this  stranger." 

"  Certainly — at  least,  so  it  seems." 

"  There  is  another  form  to  be  gone  through  which  will  make 
you  smile.  We  must  formally  ask  your  sister  (on  your  side) 
to  let  us  adopt  one  of  her  children,  and  she  will  give  us  a 
formal  refusal." 

"But  she  won't!"  cried  Grousha ;  "she  has  over  and  over 
again  hinted  that  it  would  be  far  more  benevolent  to  adopt  her 
Basil — she  would  like  it  of  all  things  !" 

"Yes,  Ji^^ would:  but  Nicholai  Nicholaievitch?" 

"  He  is  very  fond  of  his  children." 

"  So  it  appears  to  me.  And  now  I  think  it  is  in  a  fair  way  to 
go  further.  The  Governor  wants  us  to  make  a  ward  of  him, 
but  I  must  confess  I  should  prefer  the  other  way." 

No  one  but  a  Russian,  or  a  resident  in  Russia,  can  form  half 
an  idea  of  the  slowness  with  which  Government  questions  drag 
to  their  decision.  The  nomination  of  a  child  to  a  Government 
institution,  the  question  of  a  pension,  the  acceptance  of  an 


184 


Adoption 


Adoption 


385 


officer's  retirement,  require  months,  and  sometimes  years,  to 
decide.  The  system  of  correspondence— every  grave  question 
being  settled  at  St.  Petersburg— is  the  cause  of  this  frequently 
painful  and  never  agreeable  delay.  It  required  Vesnin's 
presence  at  the  Government  town  to  overcome  the  apparently 
triflin*^  difficulties  of  his  case.  Nicholai"  Nicholaievitch  not 
only  gave  a  formal  refusal  to  part  with  either  of  his  darlings, 
but  was  almost  offended  at  such  an  idea  being  proposed,  and 
in  the  heat  of  the  moment  said  a  great  deal  that  need  not 
have  been  said,  had  he  heard  Vesnin  out  first.  But  at  last  an 
immense  packet  of  documents,  all  written  on  stamped  paper, 
consisting  of  a  petition  from  Vesnin  to  the  Emperor,  Max's 
register  of  birth  and  baptism,  hunted  out  with  great  difficulty, 
and  other  papers,  were  sent  to  the  Senate  to  be  laid  before  his 
Imperial  Majesty.  Vesnin  wrote  to  Fedinka  and  to  all  his  St. 
Petersburg  friends,  begging  them  to  use  what  influence  they 
could  command  in  furthering  his  affair,  and  in  due  time  the 
long-wished-for  document  arrived— and  the  sanction  printed  in 
the  newspapers — that 

"  The  young  child  Maximilian,  son  of  the  titulary  Counsellor 
Ivan  Galkin,  is  lawfully  adopted,  with  change  of  family  name, 
to  that  of  his  adopting  father,  by  the  Government  secretary,^ 
Michael  Vesnin,  of  Agafino,  Orenbourg  Government,  as  son  and 
lawful  heir  to  the  lawful  share  of  his  possessions.  Signed  in  the 
original  by  Alexander." 

Nearly  three  years  had  passed  since  the  first  brick  was  laid 
of  the  church  at  Agafino,  and  it  had  been  consecrated  a  few 
weeks  before  the  Vesnins  received  the  paper  that  made  Max 

1  Second  civil  rank  ;  it  has  no  relation  whatever  to  the  office  of  a  secre- 
tary.   Titulary  Counsellor  is  the  fourth  rank. 


their  lawful  son  ;  but  there  was  another  ceremony  to  be  gone 
through.     The  sanction  of  the  Emperor  had  been  obtained ; 
it  remained  now  to  acknowledge  him  publicly,  and  to  ask  the 
blessing  of  the  Almighty  on  this  new  relationship  by  means  of 
the  moleben  used  on  adoption.    Anfisa  Fomishna,  with  the  deep 
religious  feeling  of  her  class,  with  her  Sclavonic  lore  and  worldly 
experience,  had  excited  the  imaginations  of  Grousha  and  her 
husband  during  the  difficulties  that  arose  about  the  child  being 
a  stranger,  and  told  them  about  the  strange  office,  and  how  the 
merchant  in  question  had  it  performed ;  and  they  both  said 
that  if  it  only  pleased  God  to  bless  them  in  the  overcoming  of 
the  difficulties,  they  would  most  certainly  have  this  moleben  per- 
formed.    The  Agafino  Priest,  Father  Platon,  had  never  heard 
of  it ;  and  it  was  not  till  they  had  turned  the  leaves  of  the 
Moleben  Book  almost  to  the  last  that  they  found  it.     A  few 
words  at  the  end  made  Michael  Emilianovitch  and  the  Priest 
raise  their  heads,  look  with  surprise  at  each  other,  and  smile. 

"  I  will  go  to  the  Protopope  at  Q ,"  said  Vesnin ;  "  per- 
haps we  may  be  able  to  leave  that  out," 

"  I  do  not  think  so,  Michael  Emilianovitch.  Our  services  are 
always  carried  out  to  the  letter.  If  you  object  to  this  moleben, 
you  can  have  simply  a  Thanksgiving  one  performed." 

"  No,  no,  Father.  We  said  that  this  one  should  be  per- 
formed— and  the  prayers  are  beautiful.  But  I  am  afraid  of 
frightening  the  child,  that's  all." 

The  Priest  shook  his  head.  "What's  to  be  done?  If  it 
was  a  vow  that  you  made,  it  must  be  performed,  Michael 
Emilianovitch." 

"It  was  something  very  like  it!"  said  Michael  Emiliano- 
vitch ;  "  hastily,  thoughtlessly  made,  as  too  many  vows  are." 
The  Protopope  at  Q heard  the  story,  and  shrugging  his 


2  B 


I 


386 


Adoption 


shoulders,  wondered  at  the  fancy  people  nowadays  have  for 
digging  up  antiquities,  but  confessed  that  it  was  occasionally 
made  use  of  in  modem  times,  wholly  and  entirely,  and  without 
any  alteration  whatever.  He  permitted  himself  to  ask  of  his 
much-respected  Michael  Emilianovitch  how  he  came  to  know 
of  the  moleben  in  question. 

Vesnin  told  him,  and  observed  another  shrug  of  wonderment 
at  the  source.  He  invited  the  old  man  to  Agafino  on  the  fol- 
lowing Sunday,  when  he  proposed  going  through  the  ceremony 
after  Mass,  and  celebrating  the  Adoption  afterwards  by  a 
dinner  and  a  little  dance. 

Max  has  quite  become  the  son  of  the  house ;  they  have  got 
him  to  call  the  Vesnins  Papasha  and  Mamasha,  simply  by  third 
persons  speaking  of  them  always  as  such.     Mamasha  is  very 
fond  of  him,  and  has  made  a  very  good  honest  little  boy  of 
him ;  he  is  a  great  happiness  to  her,  but  Michael  Emilianovitch 
doats  on  him,  and,  it  may  be  truly  said,  forgets  that  he  is  not 
his  own  child.     He  is  nearly  seven  years  old,  and  can  read 
and  write  Russ  well,  and  French  passably ;  he  is  Mamasha*s 
pupil,  and  knows  every  story  in  the  Bible  and  in  Russian  his- 
tory as  well  as  Mesdames  Zontag  and  Zolotoff,^ — is  his  father's 
constant  companion  in  his  visits  to  the  works  and  the  diggings, 
and  knows  almost  every  workman  and  his  specialty  in  the 
place.     He  is  always  building  something,  and  Papasha  says 
that  he  will  be  a  first-rate  technologist.     His  disposition  is  very 
sweet,  and  his  abilities  excellent;   but  he  is  extremely  mis- 
chievous, self-willed,  and  opinionated — qualities  which,  Michael 
Emilianovitch  maintains,  are  absolutely  necessary  to  make  a 
man  of  him,  and  which,  when  not  directed  immediately  against 
himself,  delight  him  past  all  description. 

^  Writers  for  children. 


Adoption 


387 


The  day  of  the  ceremony  dawned  tranquil  and  sunshiny ; 
the  house  was  full  of  visitors,  who  had  arrived  the  previous 
evening  in  order  to  be  present  at  Mass.  When  the  great  bell 
boomed  forth  solemnly  for  service,  Grousha  and  Max  were  on 
their  knees  in  her  little  cabinet.  Max  repeating  his  prayers,  and 
Grousha  saying  Amen  in  her  heart  to  them.  He  says  now, 
"  Lord,  have  mercy  on  Papasha  and  Mamasha !  Lord,  have 
mercy  on  Thy  servant  Ivan  I^  Lord,  remember  Thy  deceased 
servant  Amalia!  Lord,  have  mercy  on  the  babe  Lubinka!^ 
and  on  me,  the  babe  Maxinka  !  Grant  me,  Lord,  wisdom  and- 
intelligence,  the  fear  of  God  in  my  heart,  good  health,  and  a 
Christian  end."  Besides  this  prayer,  which  is  the  same  as 
"  Pray  God  "  of  the  English  child,  he  says  the  Lord's  Prayer, 
the  Russian  version  of  "  Hail,  Mary,"  and  the  same  of  "  Come, 
Holy  Ghost!"  He  enunciates  the  Sclavonic  beautifully,  and 
understands  every  hard  outlandish  word. 

Grousha  was  very  much  overcome,  and  rather  anxious  about 
the  moMben,  which  was  so  near  now.  They  did  not  take  any 
breakfast  that  day,  and  she  had  been  talking  to  Max  about  his 
taking  Infant  Communion  for  the  last  time.  He  knew  no  par- 
ticulars of  the  moleben,  and  Grousha  did  not  know  whether  to 
prepare  him  or  not ;  but  she  so  feared  a  scene  in  church.  She 
was  sitting  in  her  arm-chair  considering  this  matter,  when 
Anfisa  Fomishna  came  in  to  consult  her  about  some  house- 
keeping concern,  and  she  confided  her  difl[iculties  to  the  good 
woman's  simple  sense  to  solve.  "  Just  say  nothing  about  it," 
she  said.  "  You'll  frighten  him,  or  offend  him,  if  you  give  him 
time  to  reflect  on  it.  Keep  him  by  your  side  as  long  as  you 
can,  and  Father  Platon  will  manage  the  rest."  Grousha,  like 
all  unnecessarily  anxious  people,  wondered  what  had  made 
^  Galkin.  2  His  little  sister. 


388 


Adoption 


her  plague  herself  so,  and  kissed  the  sharp-witted  old  lady  as 
she  thanked  her  for  her  advice,  and  called  her  a  dear  old 
puzzle-solver. 

It  was   considered   such   a   sight,  that  many  persons,  not 

invited  as  guests  to  the  Vesnins'  house,  came  from  Q and 

the  surrounding  villages  to  witness  the  Benediction  on  Adop- 
tion ;  and  the  doctor's,  schoolmaster's,  and  mistress's,  and 
Priest's  houses  were  full  of  company.  The  family  of  the  pro- 
prietor was  the  first  among  the  nobles  to  enter  the  church, 
Michael  Emilianovitch  in  his  full  court  costume  as  "  noble ; " 
his  wife  elegantly  dressed  to  do  honour  to  the  occasion,  but 
looking  rather  paler  and  graver  than  usual ;  and  Max,  charming 
in  a  black  velvet  suit,  and  red  shirt  just  visible  at  the  neck  and 
wrists.  He  stood  very  devoutly  during  the  whole  of  the  long 
service  of  Mass ;  and  a  sermon  on  Infant  Communion,  in- 
tended expressly  for  him,  worded  very  simply,  and  containing 
a  few  heart-stirring  allusions  to  the  approaching  Benediction, 
was  preached  by  Father  Platon ;  and  immediately  afterwards, 

the  Q Protopope,  who  performed  Mass,  administered  the 

Holy  Sacrament  to  him.  He  pleased  the  old  man  very  much 
by  kissing  the  Cup  and  the  hand  that  held  it,  and  by  his 
serious  devout  bearing.  He  returned  to  his  mother's  side,  and 
received  her  kiss  and  congratulation,  and  after  Mass  those  of 
his  father  and  the  assembled  acquaintances.  Olympiada 
Modestovna,  now  a  very  infirm  old  woman,  and  who 
had  opposed  all  Grousha's  plans  as  much  as  lay  in  her 
power,  was  present,  and  obliged  for  decency's  sake  to  do  the 
same.  Unfortunately,  Max  could  not  bear  her,  and,  open 
as  the  day,  never  concealed  his  dislike,  which  she  repaid 
tenfold. 

And  now  the  closed  royal  gates  were  opened,  and  Father 


Adoption 


389 


Platon,  with  his  Testament  and  cross,  issued  therefrom.  Con- 
trary to  custom,  Michael  Emilianovitch  and  his  son  ascended 
the  steps  of  the  amvon,  and  with  lighted  candles  in  their 
hands,  made  an  obeisance  to  the  ground,  and  crossed  them- 
selves three  times  as  the  Priest  chanted  "  Blessed  be  our  God, 
now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever."  After  a  few  short  prayers  and 
kondaks,  the  following  prayer  was  read,  with  the  distinct 
enunciation  that  has  lately  become,  happily,  so  common,  but 
which  then  was  quite  a  new  thing : — 

"O  Lord  our  God!  who  through  Thy  beloved  Son,  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  hast  called  us  to  be  the  children  of  God  by 
Adoption,  and  the  grace  of  Thy  Holy  Spirit,  saying,  *  I  will  be 
a  Father  to  him,  and  he  shall  be  to  Me  a  son;'  O  merciful 
Father  and  King,  look  down  from  heaven.  Thy  dwelling-place, 
on  these  Thy  servants;  and  their  natures  (strangers  to  each 
other  in  the  flesh)  do  Thou  unite  in  the  bonds  of  kindred 
as  father  and  son,  by  Thy  Holy  Spirit ;  confirm  them  in  Thy 
love,  bind  them  with  Thy  favour,  bless  them  with  Thy  glory, 
strengthen  them  in  Thy  faith,  preserve  them  for  ever,  and 
grant  that  an  unseemly  word  may  never  pass  their  lips; 
and  be  Thou  the  Recorder  of  their  vow,  that  even  to  the 
end  of  their  lives  their  love  be  not  broken,  that  they  never 
fail  in  their  duty  to  Thee,  in  whom  all  things  living  have 
life ;  and  make  them  heirs  of  Thy  Kingdom.  To  Thee  is 
due  all  honour,  glory,  and  worship,  to  the  Father,  and  to  the 
Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever. 
Amen." 

The  Priest  then  turns  his  face  towards  the  congregation,  and 
says,  "  Peace  be  to  you  all !" 

And  the  Reader  answers,  for  the  congregation,  "  And  to  thy 
spirit" 


390 


Adoption 


Priest.  "  Bow  your  heads  before  the  Lord."  (The  congre- 
gation stand  with  bent  heads  while  he  reads  this  prayer.) 

"  O  Almighty  Father  !  the  Creator  of  all  things  created,  who 
in  the  first  Adam  didst  institute  kindred  in  the  flesh,  and 
by  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  Thy  beloved  Son,  hast  made  us  Thy 
children  through  grace,  to  Thee  alone  are  all  things  known, 
even  from  the  beginning.  Before  Thee  these  Thy  servants 
now  bow  their  heads,  and  implore  Thy  blessing  on  the  union 
as  father  and  son  that  they  have  agreed  on  between  them- 
selves, trusting  in  Thee.  And  that  by  stedfastness  in  holiness 
of  life  they  may  be  worthy  of  Adoption  by  Thee.  In  this,  as 
in  all  things,  be  glorified  Thy  Name,  O  Father,  Son,  and  Holy 
Ghost,  now,  henceforth,  and  for  ever.     Amen." 

The  Deacon,  who  was  standing  behind  Max,  now  whispered 
to  him,  "  Go  and  bow  yourself  down  at  your  Papasha's  feet, 
Maxinka!"  The  child  instantly  submitted,  and  Michael 
Emihanovitch  placed  his  foot  for  one  instant  of  time  on  his 
neck.  (He  did  it  so  cleverly  and  quickly,  that  the  dear  little 
fellow  never  knew  of  it.)  He  then  raised  him  to  his  feet  again, 
and  said,  "  This  day  thou  art  my  son ;  this  day  have  I  begotten 
thee."  According  to  the  rubric,  the  newly-made  father  and  son 
embraced  and  kissed  each  other  after  these  words. 

The  usual  benediction  followed,  and  the  family  received  the 
congratulations  of  the  Priest.  Michael  Emilianovitch  placed 
Max's  little  hand  in  his  mother's,  and  kissed  her  affectionately, 
wishing  her  joy ;  and  almost  before  she  had  kissed  him,  they 
were  surrounded  by  relatives,  friends,  and  acquaintances,  the 
workmen  and  their  wives,  all  eager  to  offer  their  congratula- 
tions, and  to  wish  well  to  them. 

It  is  a  source  of  never-ceasing  gratitude  to  Grousha,  that 
neither  she  nor  her  husband  ever  had  occasion  to  regret  this 


Adoption 


391 


step,  for  they  were  blessed  in  their  son  more  highly  than  they 
dared  hope.  He  manifested  a  studious  disposition,  notwith- 
standing his  extreme  liveliness,  which,  backed  by  a  desire  to 
excel,  made  him  one  of  the  first  pupils  of  the  gymnasium ;  and 
it  is  to  be  hoped  that  his  career  at  the  university  will  be  as 
successful  as  that  which  has  just  closed.  He  has  two  little 
sisters,  but  he  never  felt  that  he  was  less  loved  than  they;  and 
Grousha  frequently  confesses  that  his  affection  to  herself,  his 
attention  to  his  father,  and  his  tenderness  and  fondness  to  the 
little  girls,  leave  her  nothing  to  wish,  only  that  he  may  be 
spared,  and  that  this  peace  and  happiness  may  be  continued 

to  their  family. 
The  graves  of  the  two  little  brothers  are  not  the  less  care 

fully  tended  for  all  that. 


A  BISHOP'S  VISITATION. 


AT  all  times  a  trying  and  terrifying  business,  the  expected 
visitation  of  the  Bishop  this  year  seemed  to  be  pecuHarly 
so  to  the  minds  of  the  clergy  of  high  and  low  degree  in  our 
town  and  blagotchinie.  I'his  probably  arose  from  the  fact  of 
his  Eminence  having  been  but  very  recently  appointed  to  this 
diocese,  and  although  report  decided  in  his  favour,  yet  there 
was  no  knowing  how  he  might  be  worried  or  displeased  at  dif- 
ferent places  on  the  road  between  the  Government  town  and 
our  place,  and  in  what  humour  he  might  be  pleased  to  arrive  ; 
for  it  is  a  fact,  proved  by  many  remarkable  instances,  that 
bishops  have  tempers  as  well  as  other  people. 

A  Bishop  always  travels  with  a  suite,  consisting  of  an  Archi- 
mandrite, a  Proto-Deacon,  Sub-Deacons  to  robe  and  attend 
him  during  service  and  assist  at  the  same,  and  a  youth  called 
a  sloujka  (which  word  I  really  cannot  translate  otherwise  than 
Slavey,  it  being  the  diminutive  of  Siougd,  a  servant).  His  work 
is  by  no  means  hard,  and  consists  principally  in  standing  and 
looking  very  pretty  a  little  behind  the  Bishop  at  his  left  hand, 
with  a  book  in  his  own,  which  he  opens  when  required  at  the 
proper  place,  and,  stepping  forward,  holds  it  before  his  Emi- 
nence to  read  from.     A  good-looking  lad  seems  to  be  selected, 


A  Bishofs  Visitation 


393 


for  I  never  yet  saw  an  ugly  sloujka,  and  a  certain  grave,  re- 
spectful, but  withal  coquettish  and  becoming  manner  is  com- 
mon to  them  all,  and  probably  is  in  a  certain  degree  acquired. 
A  choir  of  some  twelve  or  sixteen  strong,  with  their  Regent, 
or  leader,  also  accompanies  the  party,  and  forms  one  of  the 
attractions  at  the  episcopal  liturgy,  which  is  altogether  very  in- 
teresting, and  much  more  showy  than  a  mere  ordinary  Mass, 
as  celebrated  by  a  Priest,  can  be. 

The  approach  of  the  Bishop  was  duly  announced  to  us  by 
the  ringing  of  bells,  which  I  have  before  mentioned,  so  that 
those  who  wished  to  see  him  arrive  had  time  to  dress  and  as- 
semble in  the  church.  The  Protopope  had  gone  to  the  nearest 
village  in  the  march-route,  a  distance  of  thirty  versts,  to  meet 
the  Vladika,^  and  accompany  him  hither;  but  all  the  other 
Priests  (and  among  them  one  poor  man  dying  of  decline, 
whom  we  had  not  seen  at  church  for  many  a  day)  and  the  rest 
of  the  clergy  were  ready  in  the  cathedral  to  receive  him,  and 
had  only  just  time  to  hurry  on  their  canonicals,  when  he  ar- 
rived. It  was  five  o'clock  on  a  burning  hot  July  afternoon,  but 
fortunately  the  cathedral  is  large  and  cool,  and  all  the  doors 
were  opened ;  it  was  prettily  decorated  too,  with  boughs  of  birch 
and  lime  trees,  arranged  so  as  to  form  an  alley  in  one  part  that 
he  would  have  to  pass ;  and  the  "  bit  of  green"  was  refreshing 
to  the  eyes,  if  not  to  the  imagination  of  the  other  senses,  and 
was  suggestive  of  shade  and  gentle  fannings  of  boughs. 

The  carriage,  drawn  by  six  horses,  stopped  at  the  west  door, 
and  his  Eminence  immediately  ascended  the  steps,  supported 
by  two  stanovoys ;  it  was  merely  an  act  of  civility  on  their 
part,  however,  for  he  is  a  brisk,  active  man,  and  did  not  require 
any  assistance  whatever.     He  was  dressed  in  a  rich  violet  and 

^  The  Bishop. 


394 


A  Bishop's  Visitation 


black  silk  damask  cassock,  and  on  his  head  was  a  high  round 
hat  (the  monkish  hood),  with  a  long  veil  of  black  stuff  some- 
thing like  barege,  hanging  over  it  down  over  his  back.  Round 
his  neck,  suspended  by  a  chain,  is  the  Fanagia,  sparkling  in 
the  sun ;  of  it  I  will  speak  presently. 

At  about  five  or  six  steps  from  the  door,  within  the  cathe- 
dral, he  was  met  by  the  clergy ;  and  here  he  was  robed  in  his 
episcopal  mantle,  an  immense  garment  of  puce-coloured  satin, 
on  which  are  sewn  three  double  rows  of  a  striped  red  and  white 
ribbon,  about  four  inches  broad ;  at  either  side  of  the  fastening 
at  the  neck  there  is  a  square  piece  of  stiff  gold  embroidery, 
having  on  it  a  cross  ;  they  are  about  a  lady's  span  in  diameter, 
and  typify  the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  signifying  that  the 
teacher  of  God's  Word  should  employ  both..    The  striped 
ribbons  are  emblems  of  the  streams  of  knowledge  flowing  from 
the  Holy  Bible.     It  is  impossible,  I  think,  for  even  a  woman 
to  convey  to  a  woman  the  exact  cut  of  this  garment ;  suffice  it 
to  say  that  if  it  were  laid  out  flat  on  the  floor  it  would  be  found 
to  be  nearly  circular — that  it  is  extremely  long,  and  has  a  train 
which  the  sloujka  carries;   and  near  the  feet  are  sewn  little 
tinkling  things  like  the  bells  on  a  child's  coral,  which  are  in 
imitation  of  the  bells  on  Aaron's  robe.     They  signify — for 
everything  in  the  Greco-Russian  Church  has  a  symbolic  or 
mystic  signification — that  the  Bishop  must  be  ready  ever  to 
preach  the  Gospel,  and  to  call  on  others  to  do  the  same.^     In 
his  hand  he  holds  his  crosier,  which  at  first  sight  might  be 
taken  for  a  parasol ;  it  is  about  four  feet  in  height  and  of  con- 
siderable weight,  being  made  entirely  of  metal.     Near  the  top 
is  a  sort  of  handle,  silver  gilt  and  chased,  which  gives  the 
crosier  the  appearance  of  an  anchor,  the  symbol  of  hope  of 

^  Bishop  Benjamin. 


A  Bis/top's  Visitation 


395 


salvation ;  this  is  surmounted  by  a  cross,  and  about  two  inches 
lower  than  the  handle  is  a  decoration  of  white  silken  material 
adorned  with  several  rows  of  gold  fringe  and  a  bow  of  crimson 
ribbon  at  the  top,  which  I  can  liken  to  nothing  but  a  littie 
petticoat,  and  which  gives  the  notion  of  a  smart  parasoL 

Blessing  the  people  on  each  side  of  the  narrow  space  left 
him  to  walk  to  the  elevation  prepared  for  him  in  the  body  of 
the  church  (the  same  place  as  where  weddings  are  celebrated), 
the  Bishop  proceeded,  followed  by  the  clergy  and  his  suite. 
A  short  moleben  was  performed,  which  did  not  last  more  than 
ten  minutes,  after  which  the  Bishop  returned  to  his  carriage 
and  drove  to  the  house  of  a  Protopope,  where  rooms  were  pre- 
pared for  him  and  his  companion  the  Archimandrite,  who  is 
rector  of  the  ecclesiastical  seminary,  and  prior  or  superior  of 
the  monastery  at  the  Government  town — an  important  person 
among  the  clergy.  Both  belong  to  the  order  of  Black  Eccle- 
siastics, i.e.  monks  and  consequently  ceHbates,  in  distinction 
from  the  White  Ecclesiastics,  or  ordinary  clergy. 

The  Bishop  is  called  Apollos,  but  this  is  not  his  baptismal 
name.  He  received  it  on  becoming  Bishop,  and  it  is  probably 
the  third  he  has  received  in  his  lifetime.  First  he  was  named 
at  baptism,  secondly  when  he  took  his  monkish  vows,  and 
thirdly  when  ordained  a  Bishop.^  He  has  an  extremely  ani- 
mated and  prepossessing  countenance,  and  so  kind  and  simple 
a  manner,  that  one  felt  at  once  that  reports  of  him  must  be 
true ;  and  his  brief  stay  here  proved  that  he  is  what  he  had 
been  described,  a  business-like  person  with  regard  to  business — 
of  which  he  has  an  immensity,  doing,  deciding,  and  judging  for 
himself,  without  any  advice,  direct  or  indirect,  from  those  who 
surround  him;  and  a  most  amiable  and  agreeable  Vladika, 

^  This  rule  is  not  without  exceptions. 


396 


A  Bishops   Visitation 


without  any  exactingness  or  grandeur,  of  which  they  say  he 
has  a  perfect  horror.  Contrary  to  the  custom  of  other  prelates 
whom  I  have  seen,  he  utters  all  he  has  to  say  in  his  natural 
voice,  distinctly  and  audibly ;  there  is  no  affectation  of  extreme 
age  and  weakness,  no  grandeur  or  infinite  condescension  in  his 
manner ;  altogether  a  something  pervaded  his  whole  person 
and  presence  which  made  one  feel  very  glad  for  his  brethren 
the  poor  dear  Priests,  who  had  been  so  anxious  concerning  the 
visitation  for  so  many  months. 

Mass  was  to  begin,  people  said,  very  early  the  next  morning. 
The  low-spirited  asserted  that  it  would  be  at  six  o'clock  at  the 
latest,  and  prophesied  such  crowds  that  it  would  not  be  worth 
while  trying  to  get  into  the  cathedral.  Others  said  that  it 
would  be  empty  rather  than  otherwise,  because  it  was  hay- 
making time  for  the  workmen.and  their  families  (each  of  whom 
has  a  hay-field),  and  because  it  would  be  too  early  for  the  nobles, 
who  certainly  do  get  up  very  late.  Under  such  circumstances, 
therefore,  it  was  very  desirable  that  the  service  should  take 
place  earlier  rather  than  later,  particularly  as  the  weather  was 
insufferably  hot,  and  the  idea  of  a  crammed  church  when 
there  are  some  28°  or  30°  Rdaumur  in  the  shade  is  sufficiently 
terrifying.  Eight  o'clock,  however,  was  the  hour  fixed  by  his 
Eminence,  who  with  his  characteristic  good  nature  consented 
to  a  longer  ringing  of  the  bells  than  he  is  accustomed  to,  in 
order  to  give  such  of  the  inhabitants  as  might  not  know  of  the 
early  hour  appointed,  time  to  assemble  at  church. 

We  arrived  at  half-past  seven ;  it  was  already  very  hot,  and 
we  felt  thankful  that  service  was  to  take  place  thus  early,  and 
not  during  the  still  more  oppressive  hours  of  noon-day.  There 
were  only  the  Deacons  and  Readers,  the  sextons  and  church- 
warden, and  a  very  few  of  the  congregation,  in  the  cathedral  \ 


A  Bishops s  Visitation 


397 


but  the  Proto-Deacon  soon  arrived,  and  began  to  put  our 
Deacons  through  a  regular  repetition  of  what  they  would  have 
to  do ;  for  although  the  service  is  essentially  the  same  when  per- 
formed by  either  Priest  or  Bishop,  yet  there  is  more  ceremony 
when  the  latter  is  present,  and  to  a  person  unaccustomed  to 
aiding  at  a  Bishop's  Liturgy  it  is  doubtless  puzzling  to  remember 
when  and  where  to  bow,  how  to  turn  round,  to  the  right  hand 
or  to  the  left,  when  to  wave  the  incense  extra  times,  and  so  on. 
The  Proto-Deacon,  a  fine  old  man,  the  exact  likeness  of  pictures 
of  Moses,  was,  to  confess  the  truth,  very  cross  with  our  Deacons 
(one  of  whom  is  nearly  as  old  as  he) ;  got  out  of  patience  with 
them,  and  pushed  them  about  as  a  dancing-master  does  awk- 
ward pupils.  In  the  meantime,  one  of  the  Sub-Deacons,  an  old 
acquaintance  of  ours,  whom  we  knew  as  a  lad  before  his  ordi- 
nation, was  giving  instructions  to  his  young  brothers,  seminarists 
who  were  at  home  for  the  holidays.  To  the  younger  was  in- 
trusted a  vast  candlestick,  very  nearly  as  high  as  himself,  and 
with  the  candle,  which  is  about  three  inches  in  diameter,  far 
overtopping  him ;  to  the  other  the  crosier  aforesaid ;  both  are 
carried  before  or  behind  the  Bishop  during  Mass,  as  the  case 
may  require.  The  boys  doubtless  had  a  slight  knowledge  of 
the  duties  imposed  on  them,  and  which  were  very  probably 
earnestly  begged  for;  but  they  must  have  had  wonderful 
memories,  to  bear  in  mind  the  minute  instructions  that  were 
given — which  side  they  must  stand  on  at  such  a  time,  which  on 
another,  when  to  pass  before  and  when  behind  the  Bishop. 
Under  the  charge  of  the  crosier-bearer  were  also  placed  several 
little  round  mats,  which  are  moved  from  place  to  place  for  his 
Eminence  to  stand  on.  Such  a  mat  is  about  fifteen  inches  in 
diameter,  and  is  called  an  orletz,  from  the  orel^  an  eagle — a 
representation  of  which  bird,  with  a  glory  about  its  head,  and 


398 


A  Bishofs  Visitation 


A  Bishops  Visitation 


399 


flying  over  a  fortified  city,  is  embroidered  on  the  mat.  The 
city  signifies  the  diocese  of  the  Bishop ;  and  the  eagle— a  far- 
fetched symbol  of  Divinity — is  in  allusion  to  St.  John  the 
Divine  being  represented  in  pictures  with  that  bird.  To  keep 
up  the  idea  of  the  signification,  the  glory  is  added,  meaning 
that  the  light  of  Divine  teaching  should  ever  beam  over  the 
diocese  committed  to  the  Bishop's  care.^ 

The  candle  and  crosier  bearers  also  went  through  a  mimic 
service,  their  brother  correcting  them,  encouraging  them,  and 
amusing  them  all  the  time.  A  raised  platform  was  placed  in 
the  body  of  the  church  for  the  Bishop.  It  had  two  steps,  and 
was  about  two  yards  and  a  half  square,  and  fifteen  inches 
higher  than  the  pavement  of  the  cathedral.  It  was  covered 
with  a  carpet,  and  on  it  was  placed  a  seat,  covered  with  a 
crimson  velvet  cloth  adorned  with  gold  fringe. 

At  eight  o'clock  the  bells  began  to  ring,  and  all  the  people, 
of  whom  by  this  time  a  great  number  had  assembled,  rushed 
to  get  the  best  places.  We  secured  those  that  we  had  set  our 
minds  on  ever  since  we  heard  that  the  visitation  was  to  take 
place,  and  managed  to  keep  them  too,  notwithstanding  the 
pushing  and  nudgings  that  we  had  to  endure ;  we  stood  in  the 
corner  formed  by  the  projection  of  the  amvon  steps,  so  that 
we  were  as  close  to  the  royal  gates  as  we  could  be,  and  besides 
having  the  advantage  of  seeing  the  whole  ceremony,  we  had 
also  a  fair  space  before  our  faces  to  breathe  in,  as  nobody 
could  possibly  stand  in  front  of  us.  The  Bishop  arrived  in  the 
stipulated  quarter  of  an  hour,  and  was  robed  in  his  mantle  near 
the  door,  as  on  the  previous  evening. 

Service  immediately  commenced  on  the  Bishop  mounting  his 
platform ;  and  during  the  chanting  of  the  choir  and  the  intona- 

^  Bishop  Benjamin^ 


tion  of  the  "  Hours"  by  the  Reader,  the  Deacons  brought  forth 
the  episcopal  robes  from  the  altar,  on  a  large  silver  dish.  He 
then  rose  from  his  seat,  and  after  blessing  the  Sub-Deacons,  who 
followed  the  robe-bearers,  submitted  himself  entirely  to  them  ; 
and  they,  possessing  themselves  each  of  one  of  his  arms,  forth- 
with commenced  robing  him  in  his  canonicals,  as  follows : — 

At  each  new  ordination  in  the  Greco-Russian  Church,  some 
new  article  of  canonicals  is  added,  so  that  the  number  a  Bishop 
has  to  put  on  is  greater  than  those  of  a  Priest — a  Priest  more 
than  a  Deacon,  and  so  on.  The  canonicals  and  attributes 
added  at  the  consecration  of  a  Bishop  are,  first  the  cope ; 
second,  the  omophorium ;  third,  the  panagia  (a  large  medallion- 
like picture  of  the  Virgin  and  Child,  in  enamel ;  it  is  richly 
ornamented,  and  surrounded  by  a  glory-like  border,  studded 
with  precious  stones ;  it  is  worn  round  the  neck,  suspended  to 
a  thick  gold  chain) ;  fourth,  the  cross,  of.  unusually  large  size, 
also  worn  round  the  neck ;  fifth,  the  mitre ;  and  sixth,  the 
crosier,  which  seems  at  once  to  represent  the  crook  of  the 
shepherd  and  the  sceptre  of  the  monarch. 

The  actual  robes  are  seven  in  number,  viz.  the  alb,  stole, 
belt,  cuffs,  and  epigonation  of  the  Priest ;  and  the  episcopal 
cope  and  omophorium. 

The  cope  much  resembles  the  ordinary  vestment  of  the 
Deacon,  but  it  is  made  of  far  richer  stuff,  and  has  the  same 
little  tinkling  bells  as  those  on  the  mantle,  sewn  down  the  sides 
where  the  seam  ought  to  be,  and  along  the  sleeves ;  for  the  two 
sides  are  united  by  loops  extending  from  bell  to  bell  after  the 
manner  of  buttons,  the  cope  being  cut  out  of  one  whole  piece 
of  material,  with  a  hole  for  the  head  to  pass  through,  and 
having  no  seams,  like  the  garment  of  the  Saviour.  It  is  put  on 
with  the  same  words  as  those  used  by  Priests.^ 

^  See  page  89. 


400 


A  BisJwp's   Visitatvon 


The  omophorium  resembles  the  stole  of  the  Priest  and  the 
scarf  of  the  Deacon,  but  is  much  longer  than  the  one  and 
broader  than  the  other ;  it  is  put  on  differently,  too,  one  end 
hanging  down  in  front,  the  other  behind,  after  being  wound 
about  the  shoulders  and  looped  up  in  a  particular  manner. 
This  part  of  the  canonicals  is  the  peculiar  mark  of  the  Bishop, 
as  the  stole  of  the  Priest,  and  the  scarf  of  the  Deacon.  It  con- 
tains sheep's  wool  in  its  texture,  though  it  is  so  concealed  by 
silver  and  silk  thread  as  to  be  imperceptible.  This  is  a  symbol 
of  the  lost  sheep  whom  the  pastor  tends,  and  of  the  Lamb  of 
God  who  was  slain  for  us.^ 

The  Sub-Deacons,  accustomed  to  their  task,  disrobed  his 
Eminence  of  his  mantle  and  ordinary  cassock,  and  he  re- 
mained in  his  under  cassock— a  Noah-like  garment  of  brown 
satin— for  a  few  seconds,  when  his  attendants  proceeded  to 
robe  him,  with  a  dexterity  and  unison  in  every  movement 
that  had  a  degree  of  gracefulness  about  it.  At  the  same 
moment,  for  instance,  they  would  take  the  cuffs  from  the  dish, 
and  present  them  to  be  blessed ;  at  the  same  instant  finished 
lacing  them,  so  that  the  Bishop's  plump  hands,  small  and  white 
as  a  woman's,  were  ready  at  once  to  give  the  double  blessing. 
After  the  seven  canonicals  had  been  put  on,  the  Deacon  and 
Sub-Deacons  again  retired  to  the  altar,  returning  soon  after  at 
a  certain  part  of  the  service,  the  Deacon  bearing  the  silver 
dish,  but  this  time  empty.  Over  his  shoulders  was  thrown 
a  long  and  broad  towel  of  new  book  muslin,  with  the  ends 
embroidered  in  different  coloured  wools  :  it  was  put  on  exactly 
as  ladies  used  to  wear  scarves  some  twenty-five  years  ago, 
as  a  pardessus.  One  of  the  Sub-Deacons  bore  an  elegant 
vase-like  silver-gilt  vessel,  with  a  spout  and  handle ;  from  this 

1  Bishop  Benjamin. 


A  Bishofs  Visitation 


401 


he  poured  water  into  the  dish  over  the  hands  of  the  Bishop, 
who  rinses  them  and  his  face  slightly,  and  then  both  Sub- 
Deacons,  taking  hold  of  the  ends  of  the  towel  and  passing  the 
middle  over  the  head  of  the  Deacon,  present  it  to  him  to  wipe 
himself  dry.     On  such  an  awfully  hot  day  as  the  one  I  am 
speaking  of,  I  am  sure  those  few  drops  of  water  must  have 
been  refreshing  to  the  poor  man,  loaded  as  he  was  with  his 
seven  canonicals.     "Be  it  not  supposed,"  says  St.  Cyril  of 
Jerusalem,  in  the  fifth  book  of  his  Teachings,  "  that  this  is 
done  to  cleanse  the  body  from  outward  impurities,  for  we  never 
enter  a  church  in  a  dirty  state  of  body.     It  signifies  that  our 
souls  must  be  purified  from  all  sins  and  wickedness.     For 
as  the  hands  are  the  instruments  of  action,  the  washing  of 
them  shows  the  purity  and  undefiledness  of  our  desires.     Hast 
thou  never  heard   the  words  of  David?  who  says,  'I  will 
wash  my  hands  in  innocency,  and  so  will  I  go  to  Thy  altar,  O 
Lord.' "    And  St.  Germanus  says,  "  The  washing  of  a  Priest's 
or  Bishop's  hands  should  remind  them  that  we  must  approach 
the  holy  table  with  a  clean  conscience,  mind,  and  thoughts 
(the  hands  of  our  souls),  with  fear,  meekness,  and  heartfelt 
sincerity." 

After  another  interval  an  enormous  silver  comb  was  brought, 
on  the  same  great  salver,  and  the  Bishop  passed  it  through  his 
hair  and  beard.  It  was  eight  or  nine  inches  in  length  and  at 
least  four  or  five  in  breadth,  with  the  teeth  very  broad — "  few 
and  far  between."  The  mystic  signification  of  this  custom 
which  beyond  a  doubt  exists,  I  have  been  unable  to  ascertain. 
The  mitre — a  very  handsome  piece  of  workmanship,  which  I 
can  hardly  decide  to  whom  to  ascribe,  to  the  gold-embroiderer, 
jeweller,  or  an  unknown  artificer  in  a  craft  that  has  no  name 

(for  it  is  impossible  to  say  what  it  is  made  of  j  it  is  not  metallic, 

2  c 


i 


f 


I 


402 


A  Bisfiops  Visitation 


yet  it  is  studded  with  pearls  and  other  jewels)— was  then 
donned,  the  panagia,  and  the  cross. 

When  fully  robed,  the  Bishop  takes  two  golden  candlesticks 
in  his  hands ;  one,  with  two  branches,  is  called  a  Dikiria ;  and 
the  other,  with  three,  a  Trikiria.    Their  peculiarity  is,  that  the 
nozzles  are  so  made  as  to  unite  the  flames  of  the  three  or  two 
candles  when  they  are  lighted :  the  meaning  of  the  first  is  the 
twofold  nature  of  our  Lord,  God  and  man ;  the  symbol  of  the 
other,— the  Holy  Trinity.     With  these  candlesticks  he  waves 
the  sign  of  the  cross  over  the  congregation,  many  more  times 
than  I  can  enumerate  during  the  course  of  the  service,  the 
people  receiving  the  blessing  with  bent  heads  and   devout 
crossings.     Each  time  that  the  Sub-Deacons  present  these  or 
any  other  thing  to  his  Eminence,  they  kiss  the  hand  which 

takes  it. 

While  waiting  for  the  arrival  of  the  Bishop  to  Mass,  a 
whisper  that  our  old  friend  the  Sub-Deacon  was  to  be  ordained 
as  Priest  was  circulated,  to  the  great  satisfaction  of  the  con- 
gregation.  We  forgot,  however,  that  such  is  an  impossibility, 
as  he  first  must  be  ordained  full  Deacon,  and  only  one 
ordination  can  take  place  during  one  Liturgy ;  and  the  whisper 
proved  to  be  an  incautious  hoax,  and  had  arisen  merely  from 
the  Sub-Deacon's  having  said  in  remark  to  some  one's  informing 
him  that  he  had  come  to  church  to  see  the  Bishop,  "  Oh !  I 
thought  you  had  come  to  see  me.  To  see  me  ordained  Pope." 
Our  disappointment,  however,  was  partially  made  up  for  by 
witnessing  the  bestowal  of  the  epigonation  on  a  village  Priest^ 

1  This  distinction  was  bestowed  in  reward  of  the  Priest's  untiring  efforts, 
and  their  happy  results,  in  teaching  the  Votyak  children  of  his  parish.  The 
Votyaks  are  a  tribe  of  Finnish  extraction,  great  numbers  of  whom  reside 
in  the  governments  of  Viatka  and  Perm.    They  are,  for  the  most  part, 


A  Bishop's  Visitation 


403 


belonging  to  the  blagotchinie.  He  was  led  by  two  others 
to  the  steps  of  the  elevation,  a  Deacon  standing  by  with  the 
new  canonical  on  the  salver ;  he  first  crossed  and  prostrated 
himself  devoutly  with  his  face  to  the  royal  gates,  and  then 
prostrated  himself,  without  crossings,  before  the  Bishop,  who 
after  a  very  short  admonition  and  prayer,  threw  the  suspending 
band  of  the  epigonation  over  the  candidate's  shoulder,  the 
assistants  partly  removing  his  chasuble  for  that  purpose.  The 
Bishop,  as  he  did  this,  called  aloud  the  word  "  Axios,"^  while 
the  newly  adorned  Priest  kissed  his  hands.  The  choir  repeated 
the  word  in  a  joyful  strain,  while  the  Vladika  went  on  address- 
ing the  Priest,  and  presented  his  shoulder  to  him  to  be  kissed, 
which,  of  course,  was  part  of  the  ceremony.  The  Priest,  an 
anxious-looking  man,  was  not  aware  of  the  reward  that  was  in 
preparation  for  him,  and  the  surprise  and  gratification  it  caused 
absolutely  scared  him ;  but  he  read  the  pre-amvon  prayer  at 
the  end  firmly  enough. 

Mass  now  proceeded  much  in  the  usual  manner,  the  few 
additions  to  it  caused  by  the  Bishop's  presence  only  serving  to 
make  it  more  attractive.  It  begins  by  his  Eminence,  having 
crossed  the  candles  again  on  three  sides,  leaving  his  elevation 
in  the  middle  of  the  church  and  proceeding  to  the  altar, 
followed  by  the  other  Priests  present,  who  hitherto  have  stood 
in  two  rows,  with  their  sides  towards  the  Bishop,  in  the  space 
between  him  and  the  amvon.  After  kissing  the  sacred  pictures 
on  the  royal  gates,  he  waves  incense  round  the  throne,  and 
then  comes  out  again  from  the  royal  gates  (which  are  open 
all  the  time  of  a  Bishop's  Liturgy,  except  during  the  conse- 

baptized  Christians,  but  they  speak  their  own  language,  though  they  all 
can  make  themselves  understood  in  Russ.  Their  occupation  is  exclusively 
agriculture.  ^  "  He  is  worthy." 


>\l 


404 


A  Bishofs  Visitation 


cratlon  and  receiving  of  the  Elements)  and  waves  it  to  the 
people,  repeating,  not  intoning,  part  of  Psalm  li.  Never 
in  my  life,  from  the  lips  of  Englishman,  German,  or  Russian, 
did  I  hear  any  portion  of  Scripture  so  exquisitely,  yet  so 
simply,  so  freely  from  all  effort,  repeated  as  those  few  verses. 
Completely  unprepared,  and  situated  so  as  to  be  able  to  hear 
the  slightest  intonations  of  his  voice,  I  drank  in  every  syllable 
— tears,  to  my  own  extreme  surprise,  streamed  down  my  face. 
"Make  me  to  hear  of  joy  and  gladness,  that  the  bones  that 
Thou  hast  broken  may  rejoice  !"  were  the  last  words  I  heard 
as  he  turned  into  the  altar  again,  and  I  think  I  shall  never 
forget  them.  The  congregation  glanced  at  each  other  in  silent 
rapture. 

The  Proto-Deacon,  who  continued  during  the  whole  time  to 
testify  by  various  gestures  his  contempt  of,  astonishment  at, 
and  indulgence  towards  the  awkwardness  and  ignorance  of 
our  Deacons,  intoned  the  litanies  and  Gospel  magnificently : 
the  latter  was  taken  from  St.  Luke  ii.,  ending  with  the  words, 
"For  with  God  nothing  shall  be  impossible."  It  was  really 
astonishing  that  such  an  aged  man  could  produce  such  sonorous 
sounds,  they  actually  rang  in  one's  ears  to  a  degree  that  was 
absolutely  painful  to  those  who  stood  close  to  him ;  but  I  con- 
jecture, from  the  quivering  of  the  half-closed  eyelids,  the  com- 
pressed lips,  and  the  raising  of  the  whole  body  on  tiptoe  when 
a  very  loud  or  high  tone  was  required,  that  it  was  a  great  effort 
to  him.     He  performed  by  far  the  greater  part  of  the  service. 

While  the  Cherubim's  hymn  was  being  sung,  the  Bishop 
stood  at  the  royal  gates,  and  the  trio  again  appeared  with  the 
salver,  vase,  and  muslin  towel,  and  the  ablution  was  repeated. 
This  is  done  immediately  before  the  great  procession  with  the 
Elements.     The  choir  sang  the  hymn  very  sweetly. 


A  Bishops   Visitation 


405 


On  the  conclusion  of  Mass  the  Bishop  preached  a  short 
sermon,  the  subject  of  which  was  an  admonition  to  his  flock 
not  to  neglect  the  table  of  the  Lord.  He  alluded  to  his 
thankfulness  to  the  Almighty  for  the  reception  he  had  every- 
where met  with  on  his  arduous  journeys  from  the  Government 
town,  but  added  that  he  dare  not  accept  it  as  a  personal 
distinction  to  himself,  though  it  rejoiced  him  to  observe  the 
zeal  of  his  dear  flock  to  the  pastor  whom  God  had  placed  over 
them ;  and  unworthy  as  he  felt  himself,  he  could  not  but  "  take 
the  cup  of  salvation  "  presented  to  him,  "  and  call  on  the  name 
of  the  Lord"  in  behalf  of  his  children.  He  spoke  in  the 
same  simple  but  impressive  way  as  he  did  when  repeating 
the  psalm. 

Mass  being  sung,  he  was  disrobed  in  the  altar,  and  his 
cassock  and  mantle  having  been  again  put  on,  he  came  to  the 
amvon  to  give  the  people  his  blessing.  Each  crowded  up, 
with  the  back  of  the  right  hand  crossed  on  the  palm  of  the 
left  (both  of  course  ungloved) :  the  Bishop  makes  the  sign  of 
the  cross  over  them,  and  then  lays  his  own  hand  for  one  instant 
on  them  to  be  kissed.  He  would  not  hear  of  hurrying  this 
ceremony,  nor  of  leaving  his  station  until  the  congregation 
were  satisfied;  several  children  told  me  that  they  went  up 
several  times,  and  that  each  time  he  said  something  kind  to 
them.  We  waited  on  the  west  steps  to  see  him  go  out,  exposed 
to  the  broiling  sun  of  noon  ;  and  it  must  have  been  very  little 
less  than  half  an  hour  afterwards  that  a  movement  in  the  crowd 
betokened  his  exit.  The  people  rushed  again,  the  stanovoys 
shouting  to  them  to  have  done,  to  let  his  Eminence  pass,  but 
he  begged  them  to  desist,  and  went  forward,  dealing  his 
blessings  to  everybody  who  managed  to  stumble  up  to  him. 
Finally,  when  seated  in  the  open  carriage  that  an  inhabitant  of 


4o6 


A  Bishop's   Visitation 


the  town  had  placed  at  his  disposal,  the  crowd  tore  headlong 
after  him,  and  he  continued  making  the  sign  of  the  cross  on 
either  side,  till  he  disappeared  behind  the  ready  open  door  of 
his  temporary  dwelling. 

At  a  quarter  to  two  on  the  same  afternoon,  while  we  were 
exchanging  our  impressions  of  the  morning's  service  over  the 
coldest  dinner  that  could  be  invented,  the  principal  ingredient 
in  the  fare  being  lumps  of  ice,  we  heard  a  peal  of  clanging 
bells,  by  which  we  were  informed  that  his  Eminence  had  left 
our  town ;  and,  once  more  seated  in  his  close  stuffy  chariot, 
was  on  the  way  to  the  next,  which  is  seventy  versts  distant,  and 
where  exactly  the  same  scenes  would  be  enacted  as  those  of 
which  we  had  been  witnesses  here. 


GLOSSARY 


OF 


RUSSIAN  AND  SCLAVONIC  WORDS. 


Acathistus,  a  long  hymn  or  address  of  praise  to  the  Saviour,  Virgin, 

or  Saints  .  •  •  • 

Akh  ti  GSspodil  Ah  thou  Lord  ! 
AleSsha,  AleSshinka,  dim.  oi Alexey  (Alexis) 
Amvbn,  a  semicircular  projection  of  the  steps  leading  to  the  Altar 

immediately  opposite  the  Royal  Gates    . 
Anfhoushka,  ^\m.  oi  Anfha  .  .  •  • 

Antlmins,  a  piece  of  consecrated  silk  material,  on  which  the  Holy 

Elements  are  placed  at  the  time  of  consecration 
Antdsha,  dim.  of  Antonina     . 
y4«/^j/i/&«,  dim.  of  Antonina   . 

Bdha,  woman  . 

Bdboiishkay  literally  Grandmother. 

doctor,  midwife    . 
B&tinka,  a  term  of  endearment  (masc.) 
Bdtioushka,  Father     . 
Barinia,  Mistress,  my  lady     . 
BlagotcKinii,  Ecclesiastical  district 
BlagotcBny,  the  superior  priest  of  an  ecclesiastical  district 


means  also  wise-woman,  she 


PAGB 

99 
67 

114 
364 

SI 

14 

8 

99 

78 

7 
42 

207 

21 

86 


4o8 


Glossary  of 


wedding 


Bojnitza^  a  three-cornered  shelf  on  which  pictures  of  the  Saints  are 
placed       ...... 

Borinkdy  dim.  oi  Boris  .... 

Boydritiy  ancient  Russian  noble 

It         also  applied  to  a  youth  who  plays  a  certain  part  at  a 
Boydrinia,  fem.  of  Boyarin      .... 

Cauchemar^  night-mare  .... 

Dessert,  term  for  dried  fruits,  bon-bons,  &c.    . 
Denhovntty  the  daughter  of  Denis 
Devishjiiky  farewell  girls'  party 
Dikeria,  a  golden  candlestick  with  two  branches 
Dounkay  dim.  of  Ovdotia  (fem. )  .  .  . 

ZJ^wji^/w/fd!,  dim.  of  Ovdotia  (fern.) 

Doiishinkay  Doushkay   Doitshitchkciy   terms  of  endearment 
Dousha  (soul)        ..... 

DostSynyy  a  peculiar  ringing  of  the  Church  Bells  at  a  certain 

divine  service.     The  word  means  worthy 
Dd  sviddniay  au  revoir 
Drbschkyy  summer  open  carriage 
Evprdxinkoy  dim.  of  Evpraxia  (fem.) 
Evpraxkay  dim.  of  Evpraxia  . 

Fediiiy  Fcdinkay  dims,  for  Feodor  (Theodore) 

Fenoly  an  ecclesiastical  garment 

Gospodiy  Lord 

Grhha,  dim.  of  Gregory 

Gospojinsky  Fast,  Fast  of  the  Assumption 

GroHshiiy  dim.  of  Agrafena  (Agrippine) 

Groiishinkay  dim.  of  Agrafena  (Agrippine) 
Hypdtitchy  abbrev.  of  Hypatievitch  (the  son  of  Hypat) 
Ilitony  handkerchief  in  which  the  Antimins  is  wrapped 
Indltiay  covering  for  the  Throne         , 
Irmos,  first  verses  of  Psalms 
Jbatty  a  covered  wooden  jug    . 
JunkeTy  cadet  without  rank  in  the  army 
Kdshay  stewed  grain  of  any  kind 
Kdtinkay  dim.  of  Katharine     . 


PAGE 

216 

331 
170 

187 

194 

172 

327 
22 

18S 

402 

32 

9 

from 

190,  340 
part  of 

246 
321 
171 

8 

316 

147 
12 
24 

316 

327 

5 

8s 

85 
220 

238 
192 
219 

9 


— -  _/.. 


Russian  and  Sclavonic  Words 


409 


KatSk-valydky  small  hand-mangle 

Kabdky  tavern  .... 

Kamildvkay  hat  worn  by  the  High  Priests      . 

KazatchSky  a  national  dance    . 

AWitkay  winter  travelling  carriage 

Kissily  a  Russian  dish 

Kliutchy  spring  fountain  or  source 

Kondaky  short  Psalm  .... 

Kopcckay  small  Russian  coin    . 

Kormititzay  wet  nurse 

Koravaiy  Russian  dish 

KSstitty  Kostiitka,  dim.  oi  JCotistantin  (Constantine) 

KotipitZy  merchant       .... 

Koutidy  rice  and  raisins 

Kovshiky  a  Russian  ladle 

Krendely  a  species  of  bakery    , 

KvasSy  a  sort  of  beer   .... 

Kypridnavfia,  the  daughter  of  Kyprian  (Cyprian) 

Ldpinkay  Ldpooshkuy  terms  of  endearment 

Lapshdy  a  sort  of  maccaroni 

Ldriay  LdritchkUy  Larkay  dims,  of  Hilaribn 

Likhorddkay  or  Likhomdnkay  the  ague 

Lhotckkay  Lhuy  Llzinkay  dims,  of  Lizabetta  (Elizabeth) 

Liulkay  a  suspended  cradle      . 

Loiikhshkay  a  kind  of  pail  made  of  lime  bark 

Licbinkay  dim.  of  Lubove  (Charity)    . 

Mdtinkay  term  of  endearment  (fem. ) 

Mdtoushkay  Mother  .... 

Mamdshitchkay  Mamdshay  Mdmrnka,  Mamma 

Mdlinshkay  dim.  for  Anidlia 

Matribnoushkay  dim.  for  Matribna    . 

Mdxinkay  Maxia,  dim.  for  Maximillian 

Mirbvoy  posredniky  a  sort  of  judge,  peace  mediator 

Mitinkay  dim.  of  Dmitry      . 

Mnogia  Uta,  many  years 

Moleben,  thanksgiving  service 


PAGE 
144 
252 
272 
189 
166 
122 
46 
222 

77 

377 

240 

172 

252 
242 
61 
III 
238 
103 

),  190 
240 

364 

215 

172 

6 

245 
9 

44 
10 

341 
377 

99 
381 

88 

356 
269 

78 


I 


4IO 


Glossary  of 


Church 

It  is  an 


palls,  &c. 


Molodetz,  fine  fellow 

Moojiky  Russian  peasant  (masc.) 

Nadejday  Hope 

Nhdia,  dim.  of  Nadijda 

Ncidinka,  dim.  oi  Nadejda    . 

Nadine,  dim.  oi  Nadejda 

NaUvka^  home-made  Russian  wine 

Nalhy^  moveable  reading  desk 

Nogh^  foot  or  leg 

hliay  Olinka,  dim.  of  Olga    . 

dlitchka^  dim.  of  Olga 

OmophSrium,  Bishop's  Stole 

Orl^tz,  a  mat  used  at  a  Bishop's  service  in  the  G.  R 

Panhgia^  Bishop's  ornament,  and  one  of  his  attributes. 

enamel  picture  of  the  Virgin  and  Child 
Parhsha^  Parhschinka^  dim.  of  Prascbvia 
Papasha,  Phpinka^  Papa 

Partchh^  a  thick  gaudy  material  used  for  canonicals, 
Pellmhty,  a  tiny  meat-pudding 
Petrbpky  Fast,  Fast  of  St.  Peter 
PBlka,  dim.  of  Philip 
Philochme,  a  kind  of  Bandoline 
Phima,  PKimotishka,  dim.  oi  Seraphima 
PSlia,  dim.  of  Appolon  and  other  names  containing  the  syllable  Pol 
PSlinka,  dim.  of  Polixena  and  other  names  containing  the  syllable  Pol 
Poldushka,  one  fourth  of  a  kopecka 
Polshtbffj  a  pint 
Ponovihr,  lay  reader 
PopCy  familiar  term  for  a  Priest 
Popodidy  Priest's  wife 
Popbvna,  priest's  daughter  . 
Pbpik,  a  dear  little  pope 
Pood,  a  Russian  weight,  about  36  lbs 
Pavili,  permit 

Prastchaite,  good-bye,  forgive  me 
Pravoslhvii,  the  Orthodox  (G.  R.)  religion 


avoirdupois 


PAGB 

28 

358 

5 

9 
6 

154 
238 
126 

313 

166 

372 
309 
397 

399 
191 
163 
225 
118 

133 
137 
197 

317 
26 

154 
244 
252 

SI 

7 

144 

13 

185 

148 

120 

82 


Russian  and  Sclavonic  Words  41  ^ 


to  men  or  boys 


Pravoslavny,  an  orthodox  person 

ProBnien,  preparatory  verse 

Raskblnitza,  schismatic  (fem.) 

Raskbl,  schism,  RascUnik,  schismatic  (masc.) 

Rifidia,  a  symbol  used  in  the  G.  R.  Church  when  a  Bishop  officiates 

R\za,  silver  or  plated  ornaments  on  the  pictures  of  Saints  represent 

ing  their  clothing 
Roubashka,  shirt 

Rodimoy,  term  of  civility  or  kindness 
Romhnoushka,  dim.  oi  Romhn 
Rbmouskka,  dim.  oi  Ronton 
Roondboky  an  immense  locker 
Samovar,  Russian  urn 
Sarafhn,  a  gored  feminine  garment 
Shschinka,  Shscha,  dim.  of  Alexander  or  Alexandra 
Sed??iitza,  Sclavonic  for  7ueek 
Schafer,  bridesman    . 
Shtoff,  a  quart 

Sloujka,  attendant  on  a  Bishop,  from  Slough,  a  servant 
Splbshndia,  a  week  in  which  Wednesday  and  Friday  are  no 
Stanovby,  representative  of  law  in  a  village 
Stikhl,  verses  .  .  .  •  • 

Stratchitza,  the  linen  covering  for  the  Throne  (Altar) 
Stidhrina,  Madam,  my  lady 
Taranthss,  summer  travelling  equipage 
Tchernazcbm,  black  earth      .  ■  •  • 

Teliga,  wheel  part  of  a  country  cart  . 
Trezvbn^  a  ringing  of  all  the  Church  bells  at  once     . 
Trikh-ia,  a  golden  candlestick  with  three  branches   . 
Troika,  three  horses  .  .  •  • 

Tropctr,  Psalm  or  Canticle     .  .  .  • 

Tzar,  Emperor  .  .  •  •  ■ 

Tzarttza,  Empress     .  .  .  •  • 

Tyhtinka,  father,  used  by  the  merchants,  lower  orders  of  ecclesiastics 

and  others 
Tysatsky,  witness  at  a  marriage 


st  fasts 


PAGE 

162 
313 

149 

83 
63 

99 

7 
II 

330 
139 
130 

"5 
363 
187 
253 
392 
117 
2 
120 

85 

59 

207 

136 

98 

255 
402 

280 

92 
203 
170 

6 

186 


412     Glossary  of  Russian  and  Sclavonic  Words  ■ 


Ukdse,  an  edict  of  the  Emperor  of  Russia 

Vastlka,  dim.  of  Vasili  (Basil) 

Vasinka^  dim.  of  Vasili  (Basil) 

Vhrinkay  dim.  of  Varvara  (Barbara) 

Vira,  Faith   .... 

VladUa,   one  of  the  titles   given   to  the 
Sovereign 

Vbdka^  a  kind  of  whisky 

Voskomastica,    a   mixture  of  wax,   mastic, 
marble    .... 

Votyak,  a  tribe  of  Finnish  extraction 

Vozglas^  a  doxology  . 

Yakolevna^  the  daughter  of  (James)  Yakov 

Yashinka,  dim.  of  Yakov  (Jemmy) 

Zagovbr^  spoken  charm  or  exorcism 

Zala^  saloon 

Zapihtka,  a  sort  of  shelf  at  the  back  of  a  sledge 

Zavbdy  a  manufacturing  town 

Zdravie  ]d\kyo\\ !     I  wish  you  health 

Zizi,  affected,  dim.  of  Zenobia  and  Zinaida 


Archbishop.     It 


incense,   and  powdered 


means 


PAGE 

80 
II 

117 

172 
138 

35 

252 

90 

402 
306 
II 
196 
326 

371 
28 

134 
106 

156 


/s-z 


THE  END. 


Sanson  <Sr»  6V?.,  Printers^  Edifiburgh. 


,fi» 


\'' 


January y  1870. 


^eto  ©Korfesf 


IN  COURSE  OF  PUBLICATION 


BY 


Messrs.  RIVINGTON, 


WATERLOO  PLACE,  LONDON; 

HIGH  STREET,    OXFORD  ;    TRINITY  STREET,   CAMBRIDGE. 


The  Origin  and  Development  of  Reli- 

gious  Belief. 
By  S.  Baring-Gould,  M.A.,   Author  of  **  Curious  Myths  of 

the  Middle  Ages." 

Part  I.  Heathenism  and  Mosaism. 

Svo.     \y* 

Brighstone  Sermons, 

Preached  in  the  Parish  Church  of  Brighstone,  Isle  of  Wight. 
By  George  Moberly,  D.C.L.,  Bishop  of  Salisbury. 
Crown  Svo.     7J.  ^d. 


Xonlfon,  ©xfortf,  anlf  CambriTjge 


i 


2  J^cssrs.  IRiiJington's  iicto  ^uMications 

T/ie  First  Book  of  Common  Prayer 

of  Edward  VI.  and  the  Ordinal  of  1549;  together  with  the 
Order  of  the  Communion,  1548. 

Reprinted  entire,  and  Edited  by  the  Rev.  Henry  Basker- 
ville  Walton,  M.A.,  late  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Merton 
College.  With  Introduction  by  the  Rev.  Peter  Goldsmith  Medd, 
M.  A.,  Senior  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  University  College,  Oxford. 

Small  8vo.     ds. 

A   Manual  for  the  Sick ;   with  other 

Devotions. 

By  Lancelot  Andrewes,  D.D.,  sometime  Lord  Bishop  of 
"Winchester. 

Edited  with  a  Preface  by  H.  P.  Liddon,  M.  A. 

Large  type.    With  Portrait.     241110.     zs.  dd. 

The  JVitness  of  St.  Paid  to  Christ ; 

being  the  Boyle  Lectures  for  1869.  With  an  Appendix,  on  the 
Credibility  of  the  Acts,  in  Reply  to  the  Recent  Strictures  of 
Dr.  Davidson. 

By  the  Rev.  Stanley  Loathes,  ^I.A.,  Professor  of  Hebrew, 
King's  College,  London,  and  Preacher-Assistant,  St.  James's, 
Piccadilly. 

8vo.     lOJ".  dd. 

The  Pursuit  of  Holiness : 

a  Sequel  to   "Thoughts   on  Personal  Religion,"  intended  to 
carry  the  Reader  somewhat  farther  onward  in  the  Spiritual  Life. 
By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulbum,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Nonvich,  and 
formerly  one  of  Her  Majesty's  Chaplains  in  Ordinary. 

Small  8vo.     5^. 

Apostolical  Sttccession  in  the  .Chnrch 

of  England. 

By  the  Rev.  Arthur  W.  Haddan,  B.D.,  Rector  of  Barton-on- 
the-Heath,  and  late  Fellow  of  Trinity  College,  Oxford. 

8vo.      1 2^. 

tontron,  Oifortf,  an^  (ITambritjgf 


J^fssrs.  9Slii)ington'»  ^m  publications 


3 


The  Priest  to  the  Altar ;  or,  Aids  to 

the  Devout  Celebration  of  Holy  Communion  -,  chiefly  after  the 
Ancient  Use  of  Saruni. 

Second  Edition.  Enlarged,  Revised,  and  Re-arranged  with 
the  Secrets?,  Post-Communion,  &c.,  appended  to  the  Collects, 
Epistles,  and  Gospels,  throughout  the  Year. 

8vo.     7J'.  dd. 

Walter  Kerr  Hamilton  :     Bishop  of 

Salisbury.     A  Sketch,  Reprinted,  with  Additions  and  Correc- 
tions, from  **The  Guardian." 

By  H.  P.  Liddon,  M.A.,  Student  of  Christ  Church. 
Second  Edition.     8vo,  limp  cloth,  2^.  dd. 

Or,  bomid  with  the  Sermon  "Life  in  Death,"  ^s.  dd. 

Newman's  (y,  HJ  Parochial  a7id  Plain 

Sei-mons. 

Edited  by  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Copeland,  Rector  of  Famham, 
Essex.  From  the  Text  of  the  last  Editions  i^ublished  by 
Messrs.  Rivington. 

Complete  in  8  Vols,    Crown  8vo.     ^s.  each. 

Newman' s(y.  H,) Sermons  bearing  npon 

Subjects  of  the  Day. 

Edited  by  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Copeland,  Rector  of  Farnham, 
Essex.  From  the  Text  of  the  last  Edition  published  by  Messrs. 
Rivington. 

In  One  Volume.  Crown  Svo.  Printed  uniformly  with  the 
"  Parochial  and  Plain  Sennons."     5J-. 

The  Pope  and  the  Council . 

By  Janus.     Authorized  Translation  from  the  German. 

Crown  Svo.     7"^-  ^^' 


Xontron,  C^ifortj,  anU  Cambritrgc 

A   2 


JWcssrs.  llitjington's  Jtetn  ^uftUcations 


The  Characters  of  the  Old  Testament. 

In  a  Series  of  Sermons. 
By  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  B.D.,  late  Fellow  of  Trinity 

College,  Oxford. 

Neiv  Edition.     Crown  8vo.     ^s. 


Female  Characters  of  Holy  Scripture. 

In  a  Series  of  Sermons. 
By  the  Rev.  Isaac  Williams,  B.D.,  late  Fellow  of  Trinity 

College,  Oxford. 

New  Edition.     Crown  8vo.     5^-. 


The  Divinity  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour 

Jesus  Christ ;  being  the  Bampton  Lectures  for  1866. 

By  Henry  Parry  Liddon,  M.A.,  Student  of  Christ  Church, 
and  Chaplain  to  the  Bishop  of  Salisbury. 

Fourth  Edition.     Cro^^^l  8vo.     $s. 


Sermons  preached  before  the  University 

of  Oxford. 

By  Henry  Parry  Liddon,  M.A.,  Student  of  Christ  Church, 
and  Chaplain  to  the  Bishop  of  Salisbury. 

Third  Edition^  revised.     Crown  8vo. 


The  Life  of  Madame  Louise  de  France, 

Daughter  of  Louis  XV.,  also  known  as  the  Mother  Terese  de 
S.  Augustin.     By  the  Author  of  "  Tales  of  Kirkbeck." 

Crown  8vo.     6^. 


.  jmtssrs.  mibington's  i^ch)  ^ttfcUcations 


A  Key  to  the  K7iowledge  and  Use  of 


the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 
By  Jolin  Henry  Blunt,  M.A. 

Small  8vo.     2s.  dd. 


A  Key  to  the  Knowledge  aitd  Use  of 


the  Holy  Bible. 
By  Jolin  Henry  Blunt,  M.  A. 

Small  8vo.     2s.  dd. 


A  Key  to  the  Knowledge  of  Church 


History.     (Ancient.) 

Edited  by  John  Henry  Blunt,  M.A. 

Small  8vo.     is.  6d. 


A  Key  to  the  Narrative  of  the  Four 

Gospels. 

By  John  Pilkington  Norris,  M.A.,  Canon  of  Bristol,  for- 
merly one  of  Her  Majesty's  Inspectors  of  Schools. 

Small  8vo.     2s.  6d. 


The  Reformation  of  the  Church  of 

England;  its  History,  Principles,  and  Results.  A.D.  15 14 — 1547. 
By  John  Henry  Blunt,  M.A.,  Vicar  of  Kennington,  Oxford, 
Editor    of    "The    Annotated  Book    of   Common    Prayer," 
Author  of  "  Directorium  Pastorale,"  &c.,  &c. 

8vo.     i6j-. 


n 


XonUon,  (I^iforti,  antJ  CHambritrgt 


t 

s 

r 

1 


IContron,  (!^xfortr,  antr  Cambridge 


iWessrs.  BiUington's  ilea  ^ublicatfons 


The     Mysteries    of  Mount    Calvary, 

By  Antonio  de  Guevara.  _ 

Forming  the  Lent  Volume  of  the  **  Ascetic  Library,"  a  Series 
of  Translations  of  Spiritual  Works  for  Devotional  Reading  from 
Catholic  Sources.     Edited  by  the  Rev.  Orby  Shipley,  ^LA. 
Square  Crown  8vo.     zs.  dd. 

Preparation  for  Death . 

Translated  from  the  Italian  of  Alfonso,  Bishop  of  S.  Agatha. 

Forming  the  Advent  Volume  of  the  '*  Ascetic  Library,"  a  Series 

of  Translations  of  Spiritual  Works  for  Devotional   Reading 

from  Catholic  Sources.    Edited  by  the  Rev.  Orby  Shipley,  ^LA. 

Square  Crown  8vo.     5^. 

t 

Counsels  on  Holiness  of  Life, 

Translated  from  the  Spanish  of  "The  Sinner's  Guide"  by 
Lnis  de  Granada.  Forming  a  volume  of  the  **  Ascetic  Libraiy," 
a  Series  of  Translations  of  Spiritual  Works  for  Devotional 
Reading  from   Catholic   Sources.     Edited  by  the   Rev.  Orby 

Shipley,  M.  A. 

Square  Crovm  8vo.     5^. 

Examijiation  of  Conscience  tipon  Special 

Subjects.     Translated  and  abridged  from  the  French  of  Iron- 
son.    Forming  a  volume  of  the  **  Ascetic  Library,"  a  Series  of 
Translations  of  Spiritual  Works  for  Devotional  Reading  from 
Catholic  Sources.     Edited  by  the  Rev.  Orby  Shipley,  IVLA. 
Square  Crown  Svo.     5^-. 

The  Manor  Farm :  a  Tale, 

By  the  Author  of  *'  The  Hillford  Confirmation. " 
Small  Svo.     With  Four  Illustrations,    y.  6J. 


ICon^on,  ©ifortf,  antr  CEambritrge 


jf^cssrs.  3&iDington's  ^tto  ^pttblications 


The  Virgins  Lamp : 

Prayers  and  Devout  Exercises  for  English  Sisters,  chiefly 
composed  and  selected  by  the  late  Rev.  J.  M.  Neale,  D.D., 
Founder  of  St.  Margaret's,  East  Grinstead. 

Small  Svo.     3J-.  6</. 

Catechetical  Notes  and  Class  Qitestions, 

Literal  and  Mystical ;   chiefly  on  the  Earlier  Books  of  Holy 

Scripture. 
By  the  late  Rev.  J.  M.  Neale,  D.D.,  Warden  of  Sackville 

College,  East  Grinstead. 

Crown  Svo.     $s. 

Sermons  for  Children;  being  Thirty- 

three  short  Readings,  addressed  to  the  Children  of  S.  Mar- 
garet's Home,  East  Grinstead. 

By  the  late  Rev.  J.  M.  Neale,  D.D.,  Warden  of  Sackville 

College. 

Secojid  Edition.     Small  Svo.     y.  dd. 

Sketches  of  the  Rites  and  Cnstoms  of 

the  Greco- Russian  Church. 

By  H.  C.  Komanoff.     With  an  Introductory  Notice  by  the 
Author  of  **  The  Heir  of  Redclyffe." 

Second  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     7^.  ^d. 

The  Treasury  of  Devotion :  a  Mamial 

of  Prayers  for  general  and  daily  use. 

Compiled  by   a  Priest.     Edited  by  the  Rev.  T.  T.  Carter, 

Rector  of  Clewer. 

i6mo,  limp  cloth,  2s.  ;  cloth,  2s.  6d. 
Bound  with  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer.     Cloth,     ss.  6d. 

The  IVitness  of  the  Old  Testament  to 

Christ.     The  Boyle  Lectures  for  the  Year  1868. 

By  the  Rev.  Stanley  Leathes,  M.A.,  Preacher  at  St.  James's, 
Westminster,   and  Professor  of  Hebrew  in  King's  College, 

London. 

Svo.     95". 

IContion.  ^ifort,  antj  fl:ambrilfsc 


'4 


8 


iWessrs.  laibCngton's  i^eto  publications 


Liber   Precttm    Publicarmn    Ecclesice 

Anglicanae. 
A  Gulielmo  Bright,  A.M.,  etPetro  Goldsmith  Medd,  A.M., 

Presbyteris,  CoUegii  Universitatis  in  Acad.  Oxon.  Sociis,  Latine 
redditus. 

In  an  elegant  pocket  volume,  with  all  the  Rubrics  in  red. 
New  Edition,     Small  8vo.     ds, 

Bible  Readi7tgsfor  Family  Prayer, 


By  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Ridley,  M.A.,  Rector  of  Hambleden. 
Old  Testament— Genesis  and  Exodus. 

St.  Matthew  and  St.  Mark. 
Luke  and  St.  John. 
Crown  8vo.     is.  each. 


New  Testament 


rSt. 
\St. 


The  Story  of  the  Gospels. 

In  a  single  Narrative,   combined  from  the  Four  Evangelists, 

showing  in  a  new  translation  their  unity.     To  which  is  added  a 

like  continuous  Narrative  in  the  Original  Greek. 

By  the  Rev.  William  Pound,  M.  A.,  late  Fellow  of  St.  John's 

College,  Cambridge,  Principal  of  Appuldurcombe  School,  Isle 

of  Wight. 

In  2  Vols.     8vo.     36J. 

Devotional  Commentary  on  the  Gospel 

according  to  S.  Matthew. 

Translated  from  the  French  of  Pasquier  Quesnel. 
Crown  Svo.     7^.  dd. 

Sermons  on  Doctrines,    For  the  Middle 

Classes.     By  the  Rev.   George  Wray,  M.A.,  Prebendary  of 
York,  and  Rector  of  Leven,  near  Beverley. 

Small  Svo.     5^.  dd. 

|PI|1M1_I _...lll.  I  II       III '  '  ___^__ 

IConlron,  Oifortr,  anlr  CTambritrge 


Jttesars.  mibington's  i^cto  publications 


Eirenicon,  Part  IL     A  Letter  to  the 

Very  Rev.  J.  H.  Newman,  D.D.,  in  Explanation  chiefly  in 
regard  to  the  Reverential  Love  due  to  the  ever-blessed  Theo- 
tokos,  and  the  Doctrine  of  her  Immaculate  Conception ;  with 
an  Analysis  of  Card,  de  Turrecremata's  Work  on  the  Im- 
maculate Conception. 

By  the  Rev.  E.  B.  Pusey,  D.D.,  Regius  Professor  of  Hebrew, 
and  Canon  of  Christ  Church. 

Svo.     *js.  (id. 

The  Sufferings  of  Jesus, 

Composed  by  Fra  Thome  de  Jesu,  of  the  Order  of  Hermits 
of  S.  Augustine,  a  Captive  of  Barbary,  in  the  Fiftieth  year  of  his 
Banishment  from  Heaven.  Translated  from  the  original  Portu- 
guese. 

Part  I.  Our  Lord's  Sufferings,  from  the  hour  of  His  Concep- 
tion to  the  night  of  His  Betrayal. 

Part  II.  Our  Lord's  Sufferings,  from  the  Agony  in  the  Gar- 
den to  His  Death, 

Edited  by  the  Rev.  E.  B.  Pusey,  D.D. 

Two  Volumes,  small  Svo.     7^. 

Daniel  the  Prophet:    Nine  Lectures 

delivered  in  the  Divmity  School  of  the  University  of  Oxford.  ' 
With  copious  Notes. 

By  the  Rev.  E.  B.  Pusey,  D.  D. ,  Regius  Professor  of  Hebrew, 
and  Canon  of  Christ  Church. 

Second  Edition.     Svo.     \os.  (td. 

Eleven  Addresses  dttring  a  Retreat  of 

the  Companions  of  the  Love  of  Jesus,  engaged  in  Perpetual 
Intercession  for  the  Conversion  of  Sinners. 

By  the  Rev.  E.  B.  Pusey,  D.D.,  Regius  Professor  of  Hebrew, 
and  Canon  of  Christ  Church. 

Svo.     ^s.  6d, 


\ 


IContJon,  (©xfort,  antr  ©ambrltrgc 


10 


i^flcssrs.  laibington's  Jteto  ^uWicatfona 


Spiritttal  Life, 

By  John  James,  D.D.,  late  Canon  of  Peterborough,  Author 
of  a  "Comment  on  the  Collects  of  the  Church  of  England," 
&c. 


1 2  mo. 


5-f- 


Profi 


-essor  Inmans  Nautical  Tables, 

for  the  use  of  British  Seamen.  New  Edition,  by  the  Rev. 
J.  W.  Inman,  late  Fellow  of  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge, 
and  Head  Master  of  Chudleigh  Grammar  School.  Revised, 
and  enlarged  by  the  introduction  of  Tables  of  \  log.  haver- 
sines,  log.  differences,  &c.  ;  with  a  more  compendious  method 
of  Working  a  Lunar,  and  a  Catalogue  of  Latitudes  and  Longi- 
tudes of  Places  on  the  Seaboard. 

Royal  8vo.     i6j. 

The  Doctrine  of  the  Church  of  Eng- 

land,  as  stated  in  Ecclesiastical  Documents  set  forth  by  Au- 
thority of  Church  and  State,  in  the  Reformation  Period  between 
1536  and  1662.     Edited  by  the  Rev.  John  Henry  Bltrnt,  M.A. 

8vo.     7^.  6(i. 

Annals  of  the  Bodleian  Library ,  Ox- 

ford,  from  its  Foundation  to  A.D.  1867;  containing  an  Account 
of  the  various  collections  of  printed  books  and  ^ISS.  there  pre- 
served ;  with  a  brief  Preliminary  Sketch  of  the  earlier  Library 
of  the  University. 

By  W.  D.  Macray,  ^L  A.,  Assistant  in  the  Library,  Chaplain 
of  Magdalen  and  New  Colleges. 

8vo.      1 2J. 

England  versus  Rome :  a  Brief  Hand- 

book  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Controversy,  for  the  use  of  Mem- 
bers of  the  English  Church. 

By  Henry  Barclay  Swete,  ^LA.,  Fellow  of  Gonville  and  Caius 

College,  Cambridge. 

i6mo.     2^.  dd. 


Xontion,  Oifortr,  antr  CTambri^ge 


Jijltsars.  mibington'ft  Jttto  publications 


It 


Thomas  h  Kempis,  Of  the  Imitation  of 

Christ.  sif- 

A  carefully  revised  translation,  elegantly  printed  with  red  borders. 

i6mo.     2 J.  dd. 
Also  a  cheap  EditioUy  zuitkout  the  red  border Sy  is.,  or  in  Coz-cr,  dd. 

The  Rule  aiid  Exercises  of  Holy  Living, 

By  Jeremy  Taylor,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Dowai,  and  Connor,  and 

Dromore. 

A  New  Edition,  elegantly  printed  with  red  borders. 

i6mo.     2 J.  dd. 
Also  a  cheap  Edition,  without  the  red  borders,  is. 

The  Rule  and  Exercises  of  Holy  Dying. 

By  Jeremy  Taylor,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Down,  and  Connor,  and 

Dromore. 

A  New  Edition,  elegantly  printed  with  red  borders. 

i6mo.     2s.  bd. 

Also  a  cheap  Edition,  without  the  red  borders,  \s. 

*^*  The  Holy  Living  and  Holy  Dying  may  be  had  bound  together 

in  One  Volume.     5^.,  or  without  the  red  borders,  2s.  (>d. 

A  Short  and  Plain  Instruction  for  the 

better  Understanding  of  the  Lord's  Supper  ;  to  which  is  an- 
nexed, the  Office  of  the  Holy  Communion,  with  proper  Helps 
and  Directions. 

By  Thomas  Wilson,  D.D.,  late  Lord  Bishop  of  Sodor  and 

Man. 
New  and  complete  Edition,  elegantly  printed  in  large  type,  v.'ith 

rubrics  and  borders  in  red.     i6mo.     2s.  6d. 
Also  a  cheap  Edition,  without  the  red  borders,  \s.,  or  in  Coz-er,  6d. 

Introduction  to  the  Devout  Life, 

From  the  French  of  Saint  Francis  of  Sales,  Bishop  and  Prince 

of  Geneva. 
A  New  Translation,  elegantly  printed  with  red  borders. 

i6mo.     IS.  6d. 


IContJon,  ^xfcrtf,  anti  CTambritrgt 


\ 


1 


13 


JWtssrs.  lafbington's  iictD  publications 


jmessra.  Ilibington's  i^cto  publications 


13 


History  of  the  College  of  St.  John  the 

Evangelist,  Cambridge. 

By  Thomas  Baker,  B.D.,  Ejected  Fellow. 

Edited   for  the   Syndics  of  the  University  Press,  by  John 
E.  B.  Mayor,  M.  A.,  Fellow  of  St.  John's  College. 

2  Vols.  8vo.     24J-. 


The    Annotated    Book    of    Common 

Prayer;  being  an  Historical,   Ritual,  and  Theological  Com- 
mentary on  the  Devotional  System  of  the  Chitrch  of  England. 
Edited  by  John  Henry  Blunt,  M.A. 

Fourth  Edition.     Imperial  8vo.    36^. 


The  Prayer  Book  Interleaved ; 

with  Historical  Illustrations  and  Explanatory  Notes  arranged 
parallel  to  the  Text,  by  the  Rev.  W.  M.  Campion,  B.D.,  Fellow 
and  Tutor  of  Queens'  College  and  Rector  of  St.  Botolph's, 
and  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Beamont,  M.A.,  late  Fellow  of  Trinity 
College,  Cambridge,  and  Incumbent  of  St.  Michael's,  Cam- 
bridge. With  a  Preface  by  the  Lord  Bishop  of  Ely. 
Fourth  Edition.     Small  8vo.     7^.  6^. 


Flowers  and  Festivals ;  or,  Directio7is 

for  the  Floral  Decorations  of  Churches.     With  coloured  Illus- 
trations. 

By  W.  A.  Barrett,  of  S.   Paul's  Cathedral,   late   Clerk  of 
Magdalen  College,  and  Commoner  of  S.  Mary  Hall,  Oxford. 
Square  Crown  8vo.     5J. 


XonTion,  ©liotti,  an^  CCambritigc 


Light  in  the  Heart ;  or,  Short  Medita- 

tions  on  Subjects  which  concern  the  Soul.     Translated  from 

the  French. 
Edited  by  the  Rev.  W.  J.  Butler,  ^I.  A.,  Vicar  of  Wantage. 

Small  Svo.     is.  6d. 

The  True  Passover. 

By  Thomas  Parry,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Barbados. 
Small  Svo.     u.  6^/. 

Sickness;    its    Trials  and  Blessings. 

Fine  Edition,  on  toned  paper.     Small  Svo.    y.  dd. 
Also  a  cheap  Edition,  is.  dd.,  or  in  Paper  Cover,  u. 

Help  and  Comfort  for  the  Sick  Poor. 

By  the  Author  of  "  Sickness  ;  its  Trials  and  Blessings." 
New  Edition.     Small  Svo.     is. 

Hymns  and  Poems  for  the  Sick  and 

Suffering  ;  in  connexion  with  the  Service  for  the  Visitation  of 
the  Sick.     Selected  from  various  Authors. 

Edited  by  T.  V.  Fosbery,  M.A.,  Vicarof  St.  Giles's,  Reading. 
New  and  cheaper  Edition,    Small  Svo.     is.  dd. 

The    Dogmatic    Faith:    an    Inquiry 

into  the  Relation  subsisting  between  Revelation  and  Dogma. 
Being  the  Bampton  Lectures  for  1S67. 

By  Edward  Garbett,  M.A.,  Incumbent  of  Christ  Church, 

Surbiton. 

Second  Edition.     Crown  Svo.     p. 


rontron,  (f^xforlr,  anti  ©ambriftge 


ii  \ 


II 


I 


14 


JHtssra.  :Eibington's  i^cto  ^ublicationa 


Dean  Alford's  Greek  Testament. 

With  English  Notes,  intended  for  the  Upper  Forms  of 
Schools,  and  for  Pass-men  at  the  Universities.  Abridged  by 
Bradley  H.  Alford,  M.A.,  Vicar  of  Leavenheath,  Colchester; 
late  Scholar  of  Trinity  College,  Cambridge. 

Crown  8vo.     \os.  dd. 

Household  Theology:  a  Handbook  of 

Religious  Information  respecting  the  Holy  Bible,  the  Prayer 
Book,  the  Church,  the  Ministry,  Divine  Worship,  the  Creeds, 

&c.  &c. 
By  John  Henry  Blnnt,  M.  A. 

Third  Edition.     Small  8vo.     3J.  dd. 


Miscellaneous  Poems. 

By  Henry  Francis  Lyte,  M.  A. 

New  Edition.     Small  8vo.     5^. 


Curious  Myths  of  the  Middle  Ages, 

By    S.   Baring-Gould,    M.A.,   Author  of    "  Post-Medixval 
Preachers,"  &c.     With  Illustrations. 

AWt/  Edition.     Complete  in  one  Volume. 
Crown  Svo.     6j". 

Soimeme :  a  Story  of  a  Wilful  Life. 

Small  Svo.     zs.  dd. 

Miss  Langley's  Will:  a  Tale. 

Second  Edition.     2  Vols.     Post  Svo.     £\   \s. 


IContJon,  ©ifort^   antr  ©amliriticje 


JHcsBrs.  laibington's  ^tto  ^uliUcatfons  15 

The  History  of  the  Church  of  Ireland, 

In  Eight  Sermons  preached  in  Westminster  Abbey. 

By  Chr.  Wordsworth,  D.D.,    Bishop  of  Lincoln,  formerly 
:  Canon  of  Westminster  and  Archdeacon. 

Crown  Svo.     6^. 

The  Holy  Bible. 

With  Notes  and  Introductions. 

By  Chr.  Wordsworth,  D.D.,   Bishop  of  Lincoln,  formerly 
Canon  of  Westminster,  and  Archdeacon. 
Imperial  Svo. 
Part  £  ^'   <^- 

/•        I.  Genesis  and  Exodus.    Second  Edit,     i     10 
Vol.  I.     38J.  J       II.  Leviticus,  Numbers,  Deuteronomy. 

I.  Second  Edition o  18     o 

i     III.  Joshua,  Judges,  Ruth.  Second  Edit,     o  12     o 
Vol.  IL    21J.  j     IV..  The  Books  of  Samuel.  6Vr^;/^^^//.     o  10    o 

r      V.  The  Books  of  Kings,  Chronicles, 
Vol.111.   21J-.  ^  Ezra,  Nehemiah,  Esther.  Second 

t  Edition i     i     o 

{VI.  The  Book  of  Job.    Second  Edition     090 
VII.  The  Book  of  Psalms.  vS'twm/ -£"^/7.     o  15     o 
VIII.  Proverbs,    Ecclesiastes,    Song    of 
Solomon 0120 

IX.  Isaiah 0126 

X.  Jeremiah,      Lamentations,      and 

Vol.  V.  ^  Ezekiel i     I     o 

XI.  The  Minor  Prophets.     {In  Pre- 
paration. ) 

Mamial  of  Family  Devotions,  arranged 

from  the  Book  of  Common  Prayer. 

By  the  Hon.  Augustus  Buncombe,  D.  D. ,  Dean  of  York. 
Printed  in  red  and  black. 
Small  Svo.     y.  6d. 

Xontion,  (©ifortr,  anlf  CTambritrgc 


i6 


jjttessrs.  mift(ngton's  i^cto  publications 


Anglo-Saxon  Witness  on  Four  Alleged 

Requisites    for    Holy    Communion— Fasting,    Water,    Altar 
Lights,  and  Incense. 

By  the  Rev.  J.  Baron,  M.A.,  Rector  of  Upton  Scudamgre, 

Wilts. 

8vo.     is, 

Perranzabiiloe,  the  Lost  Church  Found; 

or  The  Church  of  England  not  a  New  Church,  but  Ancient, 
Apostolical,  and  Independent,  and  a  Protesting  Church  Nme 
Hundred  Years  before  the  Reformation. 

By  the  Rev.  C.T.  Collins  Trelawny,  M.A.,  formerly  Rector  of 
Timsbury,  Somerset,  and  late  Fellow  of  Balliol  College,  Oxford. 
With  Illustrations. 

New  Edition.     Crown  8vo.     zs.  6d. 

The  Sacraments  and  Sacramental  Or- 

dinances  of  the  Church ;  being  a  Plain  Exposition  of  their 
Histor}',  Meaning,  and  Effects. 
By  Jolin  Henry  Blunt,  M.A. 

Small  8vo.     4r.  dd. 

■•,  * 

Catechesis;   or,  Christian  Instruction 

preparatory  to  Confirmation  and  First  Communion. 

By  the  Rev.  Charles  Wordsworth,  D.C.L.,   Bishop  of  St. 

Andrew's. 

New  and  cheaper  Edition.     Small  8 vo.     is. 

Village    Sermons    on    the   Baptismal 

Service.  „ 

By  the  Rev.  John  Keble,  Author  of  "  The  Christian  Year. 

8vo.     5J. 


IContion,  ©xfortr,  antj  ©ambri^gc 


J^ltissrs.  ^ibington's  i^cto  ^publications 


17 


Warnings  of  the    Holy   Week,  &c.  ; 

being  a  Course  of  Parochial  Lectures  for  the  Week  before 
Easter  and  the  Easter  Festivals. 

By  the  Rev.  "W.  Adams,  M.A.,  late  Vicar  of  St.  Peter's-in- 
the-East,  Oxford,  and  Fellow  of  Merton  College. 
Sixth  Edition.     Small  8vo.     4J.  (>d. 

A  Glossary  of  Ecclesiastical  Terms ; 

containing  Explanations  of  Terms  used  in  Architecture,  Eccle- 
siology,  Hymnology,  Law,  Ritualism,  Theology,  Heresies,  and 
Miscellaneous  Subjects. 

By  Various  Writers.     Edited  by  the  Rev.  Orby  Shipley,  M.  A. 
Crown  8vo.     (/«  the  Press. ) 


An  Illuminated  Edition  of  the  Book  of 

Common  Prayer,  printed  in  Red  and  Black,  on  fine  toned  Paper, 
with  Borders  and  Titles,  designed  after  the  manner  of  the  14th 
Century,  by  E.  E.  Holmes,  F.S.A.,  and  engraved  by  0.  Jewitt. 
Crown  8vo.     White  vellum  cloth  illuminated.     i6j-. 
Or  in  best  morocco  elegant.     2ls. 


Yesterday,  To-day,  and  For  Ever:  a 

Poem  in  Twelve  Books. 

By  Edward  Henry  Bickersteth,  M.A.,  Incumbent  of  Christ 
Church,  Hampstead,  and  Chaplain  to  the  Bishop  of  Ripon. 
Third  Edition.     Small  8vo.     6j. 

The  Hillford  Confirmation :  a  Tale. 


By  M.  C.  PhUlpotts. 


i8mo.     \s. 


ICon^fin,  ^xfortr,  antr  Cambritirge 


B 


i8 


J^cssrs.  Bibington's  i^cto  publications 


The  Greek  Testament. 

With  Notes  and  Introductions. 

By  Chr.  Wordsworth,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Lincohi ;  fonnerly 
Canon  of  Westminster,  and  Archdeacon. 

2  Vols.     Impl.  8vo.     4^. 
The  Parts  may  be  had  separately,  as  follows  :— 

The  Gospels,  ^th  Edition,  2\s. 

The  Acts,  Ith  Edition,  lOf.  dd. 

St.  Paul's  Epistles,  t,th  Edition,  31  J.  6t/. 

General  Epistles,  Revelation,  and  Indexes,  yd  Edition,  21s, 


Occasional  Sermons, 


By  Henry  Parry  Liddon,  M.A.,  Student  of  Christ  Church, 
and  Chaplain  to  the  Bishop  of  Salisbury. 

Crown  8vo.     {In  Preparation,) 

From  Morning  to  Evening : 

a  Book  for  Invalids. 

From  the  French  of  M.  L' Abbe  Henri  Perreyve.     Translated 
and  adapted  by  an  Associate  of  the  Sisterhood  of  S.  John 

Baptist,  Clewer. 

Crown  8vo.     5^. 

PoMtlar    Objections    to    the    Book    of 

Common  Prayer  considered,  in  Four  Sermons  on  the  Sunday 
Lessons  in  Lent,  the  Commination  Service,  and  the  Athanasian 
Creed,  with  a  Preface  on  the  existing  Lectionary. 

By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulbum,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Norwich. 
Second  Edition.     Small  8vo.     2j.  dd. 

Family  Prayers:  compiled  from  various 

sourcef  (chiefly  from  Bishop  Hamilton's  Manual),  and  arranged 
on  the  Liturgical  Principle. 

By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulbum,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Norwich. 
A^au  Edition.     Crown  8vo,  large  type,  31.  (yd. 
Cheap  Edition.     i6mo. 


IS. 


rontion,  ©xforty,  antr  ©ambri^iat 


i¥lcs»r».  lliiiington's  i^to  ^ubUcations 


19 


The  Anmtal  Register:   a  Review  of 

Public  Events  at  Home  and  Abroad,  for  the  Year  1868  ;  being 
the  Sixth  Volume  of  an  improved  Series. 

8vo.     I  %s. 

%*  The  Volumes  for  1863  to  1867  may  be  had,  price  18^.  each. 

Arithmetic,  Theoretical  and  Practical. 

By  W.  H.  Girdlestone,  M.A.,  of  Christ's  College,    Cam- 
bridge, Principal  of  the  Theological  College,  Gloucester. 
New  and  Revised  Edition.     Crown  8vo.     6^.  (id. 
Also  an  Edition  for  Schools.     Small  Svo.     y.  dd. 

Egypfs  Record  of  Time  to  the  Exodus 

of  Israel,  critically  investigated  :  with  a  comparative  Survey  of 

the   Patriarchal   History  and  the   Chronology  of   Scripture; 

resulting  in  the  Reconciliation  of  the  Septuagint  and  Hebrew 

Computations,  and  Manetho  with  both. 

By  W.  B.  Galloway,  M.A.,  Vicar  of  St.  Mark's,  Regent's 

Park,  and  Chaplain  to  the  Right  Hon.   Lord  Viscount  Ha- 

warden. 

8vo.     1 5^-. 

A  Fourth  Series  of  Parochial  Sermons, 

preached  in  a  Village  Church. 

By  the  Rev.  Charles  A.  Heurtley,  D.D.,  Rector  of  Fenny 
Compton,  WarAvickshire,  Margaret  Professor  of  Divinity,  and 
Canon  of  Christ  Church,  Oxford. 

i2mo.     5x.  dd. 


Six  Short  Sermons  on  Sin.  Lent  Lectures 

at  S.  Alban  the  Marty^  Holbora. 
By  the  Rev.  Orby  Shipley,  M.A. 

Fourth  Edition.     Small  Svo.     u. 


IConvoiT,  <f^xfor)r,  antr  Cambritrge 

B    2 


so 


jittessrg.  m(i)(ngton*»  JUto  ^uMicationa 


yox    EcclesicB    Anglicance :    on    the 

Church  Ministry  and  Sacraments.  A  Selection  of  Passages 
from  the  Writings  of  the  Chief  Divines  of  the  Church  of 
England.  With  short  Introductions  and  Notices  of  the  Writers. 
By  George  G.  Perry,  M.A.,  Prebendaiy  of  Lincoln,  Rector 
of  Waddington,  Rural  Dean,  and  Proctor  for  the  Diocese  of 

Lincoln.  , 

Crown  8vo.     oj. 

Reflections  on  the  Revolution  in  France, 

"and  on  the  Proceedings  in  certain  Societies  in  London  relative 
to  that  Event.     In  a  Letter  intended  to  have  been  sent  to  a 

Gentleman  in  Paris,  1790- 
By  the  Right  Hon.  Edmund  Burke,  ]\LP. 
N^  Edition.     With  a  short  Biographical  Notice. 
Crown  8vo.     3^.  6^. 

A  Memoir  of  the  late  Henry  Hoare, 

Esq    M  A      With  a  Narrative  of  the  Church  Movements  with 
which  he  was  connected  from  1848  to  1865,  and  more  particu- 
larly  of  the  Revival  of  Convocation. 
By  James  Bradhy  Sweet,  M.A. 

8vo.      I2J-. 

Aids  to  Prayer:  a  Course  of  Lecttires 

delivered  at  Holy  Trinity  Church,  Paddington. 

By  Daniel  Moore,  M.A.,  Honorary  Chaplain  to  the  Queen, 

&c.  ^  ^  . 

'v  Crown  8vo.     4f.  o«. 

The  Perfect  Man;  or,  Jesus  an  Example 

of  Godly  Life.  •,  r  o     t    i    ' 

By  the  Rev.  Harry  Jones,  M.A.,  Incumbent  of  St.  Lukes, 

Berwick  Street. 

Crown  8vo.     y.  oa. 


Xontjcn,  ©xfortr,  anti  ©ambritigc 


jme»»r«.  HifaCn^ton's  i^to  ^ubllcatiotts 


31 


, 


A  Practical  Treatise  concerning  Evil 

Thoughts  :  wherein  their  Nature,  Origin,  and  Effect  are  dis- 
tinctly considered  and  explained,  with  many  Useful  Rules  for 
restraining  and  suppressing  such  Thoughts :  suited  to  the  various 
conditions  of  Life,  and  the  several  Tempers  of  Mankind,  more 
especially  of  melancholy  Persons. 

By  William  Chilcot,  M.A. 

With  Preface  and  Notes  by  Richard  Hooper,  M.A.,  Vicar  of 
Upton  and  Aston  Upthorpe,  Berks. 

Third  Edition,  elegantly  printed  with  red  borders. 
i6mo.     25.  6d, 

Sacred  Allegories  : 

The  Shadow  of  the  Cross— The  Distant  Hills— The  Old  Man's 
Home— The  King's  Messengers. 

By  the  Rev.  W.  Adams,  M.A.,  late  Fellow  of  Merto» 
College,  Oxford. 

New  Edition.  With  Engravings  from  original  designs  by 
Charles  W.  Cope,  R.A.,  John  C.  Horsley,  A.R.A.,  Samuel 
Palmer,  Birket  Foster,  and  George  E.  Hicks. 

Small  4to.     lOi-.  dd. 

Honors  de  Balzac. 

Edited,  with  English  Notes  and  Introductory  Notice,  by 
Henri  Van  Laun,  formerly  French  Master  at  Cheltenham 
College,  and  now  Master  of  the  French  Language  and  Litera- 
ture at  the  Edinburgh  Academy.  Being  the  first  Volume  of 
Selections  from  Modem  French  Authors. 

Crown  8vo.     3^.  dd. 

H.  A.  Taine. 

Edited,  with  English  Notes  and  Introductory  Notice,  by 
Henri  Van  Laun,  formerly  French  Master  at  Cheltenham 
College,  and  now  Master  of  the  French  Language  and  Litera- 
ture at  the  Edinburgh  Academy.  Being  the  second  Volume  of 
Selections  from  Modem  French  Authors. 

Crown  8vo.     y.  dd. 


'Soniron,  ©xforXr,  anti  CambrlTjge 


•««. 


, 


22 


jlWcssrs.  mfbfngton's  i^ftD  ^ublw«ttcns 


Farewell  Counsels  of  a  Pastor  to  his 

Flock,  on  the  Topics  of  the  Day.     Nine  Sermons  preached  at 
St.  John's,  Paddmgton. 

Third  Edition.     Small  8 vo.     4^. 

The  Greek  Testament. 

With  a  Critically  revised  Text  ;   a  Digest  of  Various  Read- 
in^s  •   Marcrinal  References  to  Verbal  and  Idiomatic  Usage  ; 
Prdegomena;    and    a   Critical  and  Exegetical   Commentary. 
For  the  use  of  Theological  Students  and  Ministers. 
By  Henry  Alford,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Canterbury. 

4  Vols.      8vO.       I02J. 

The  Volumes  are  sold  separately  as  follows  :— 
Vol.  I.— The  Four  Gospels.     Sixth  Edition.     28J. 
Vol!  II.— Acts  to  II.  Corinthians.     Fifth  Edition.     24J. 
Vol.  III.— Galatians  to  Philemon.     Fourth  Edition.     i8j. 
Vol.  IV.— Hebrews  to  Revelation.     Third  Edition.     32J. 

The    New     Testament  for    English 

Readers ;  containing  the  Authorized  Version,  with  a  revised 
English  Text;  Marginal  References;  and  a  Critical  and 
Explanatory  Commentar>'.  By  Henry  Alford,  D.D.,  Dean  of 
Canterbury. 

Now  complete  in  2  Vols,  or  4  Parts,  price  54J.  (^d. 

Separately, 
Vol.  I,  Part  I. —The  three  first  Gospels,  with  a  Map.     Second 

Edition.     12s. 
Vol.  I,  Part  II.— St.  John  and   the   Acts.      Second  Edition. 

\os.  6d. 

Vol.  2,  Part  I.— The  Epistles  of  St.  Paul,  with  a  Map.     Seco7id 

Edition.     i6j. 
Vol.  2,  Part  1 1. —Hebrews  to  Revelation.     8vo.     i6j. 


jmessrs.  Bibington's  ijitto  ^ubltcations 


as 


The  Sword  and  the  Keys- 

The  Civil  Power  in  its  Relations  to  The  Church;  considered 
with  Special  Reference  to  the  Court  of  Final  Ecclesiastical 
Appeal  in  England.  With  Appendix  containing  aH  Statutes 
on  which  the  Jurisdiction  of  that  Tribunal  over  Spiritual  Causes 
is  Founded,  and  also,  all  Ecclesiastical  Judgments  delivered  by 
it  since  those  published  by  the  Lord  Bishop  of  London  in  1865. 
By  James  Wayland  Joyce,  M.A.,  Rector  of  Burford,  Salop. 

8vo.     10s,  dd. 

John  Wesley's  place  in  Church  His- 

tory   determined,    with   the    aid    of    Facts    and   Documents 
unknown  to,  or  unnoticed  by,  his  Biographers. 

By  E.  Denny  XTrlin,  M.R.I. A.,   of  the  Middle  Temple, 
Barrister-at-Law. 

With  Portrait.      Small  8vo.     {Just  ready.') 

Consoling  Thoughts  in  Sickness. 

Edited  by  Henry  Bailey,  B.D.,  Warden  of  St.  Augustine's 
College,  Canterbury. 

Large  type.     Small  8vo.     2s.  dd. 

Thoughts  on  Personal  Religion ;  being 

a  Treatise  on  the  Christian  Life  in  its  Two  Chief  Elements, 
Devotion  and  Practice. 
By  Edward  Meyrick  Goulburn,  D.D.,  Dean  of  Norwich. 
New  Edition.     Small  8vo.     6^.  dd. 
An  Edition  for  Presentation,  Two  Volumes,  small  8vo.     lor.  dd. 
Also  a  cheap  Edition.     Small  8vo.     ^s.  dd. 

On    Miracles;    being    the    Bampton 

Lectures  for  1865. 
By  J.  B.  Mozley,  B.D.,  Canon  of  Worcester,  late  Fellow 

of  Magdalen  College,  Oxford. 

Second  Edition.     8vo.     \os.  6d. 


Xontfon,  <©i(ort,  nntr  ©.imbritigc 


XonTjon,  ©ifortr,  anTr  CamliritJgc 


aaOh 


M 


ittwsrs.  mibington's  i^eto  publications 


\\ 


A  Course  of  Lectures  delivered  to  Can- 

didates  for  Holy  Orders,  comprising  a  Summary  of  the  ^^'hole 
System  of  Theology.      To  which  is  prefixed  an  Inaugural 

Address. 
By  John  Sandolph,  D.D.  (sometime  Bishop  of  London). 
Vol.  I.  Natural  and  Revealed.  1     7^.6^.  each. 
Vol.  II.  Historical.  / 

Vol.  III.  Doctrinal.     (///  the  Press,) 
In  3  Vols.    8vo. 

The   Guide    to  Heaven :    a  Book   of 

Prayers  for  every  want. 

Compiled  by  a  Priest.     Edited  by  the  Rev.  T.  T.  Carter, 
M.A.,  Rector  of  Clewer,  Berks. 

Crown  8vo.     \s, 

A  Plain  and  Short  History  of  England 

for  Children  :   in  Letters  from  a  Father  to  his  Son.     With  a 
Set  of  Questions  at  the  end  of  each  Letter. 

By  George  Davys,  D.D.,  late  Bishop  of  Peterborough. 
New  Edition^  zvith  Twelve  coloured  Illustrations. 
Square  Crown  8vo.    3^.  dd. 
A  cheap  Edition  for  Schools^  with  portrait  of  Edivard  VI. 

l8mo.     I  J".  (>d. 

Plain  Scriptural   Thoughts  on  Holy 

Baptism. 

By   the   Rev.   John  "Wallas,   M.A.,   Perpetual  Curate    of 
Crosscrake,  Westmorland. 

Crown  8vo.     6^. 

A  Manual  of  Plain  Devotions,  adapted 

for  Private  and  for  Family  Use. 

By  the  Rev.  John  Wallas,  M.A.,  Incumbent  of  Crosscrake. 
Second  Edition.     Small  8vo.     7.s. 


Xontron,  ©xfort,  antr  ©ambritrge 


J«(gsrs.  ^ibington's  Jttto  publications 


as 


Imperial  8vo.   21s. 
PART   I.    (containing  A— K). 

A  DICTIONARY  OF  DOCTRINAL  AND 
HISTORICAL  THEOLOGY, 

BY  VARIOUS   WRITERS, 

EDITED    BY  THE 

Rev.  JOHN   HENRY    BLUNT,   M.A.,   F.S.A., 

EDITOR  OF   "the  ANNOTATED  BOOK  OF  COMMON  PRAYER." 


i\ 


THIS  is  the  first  portion  of  the  "  Summary  of  T/ieoiogy 
and  Ecclesiastical  History,"  which  Messrs.  Rivington  pro- 
pose to  publish  in  eight  volumes  as  a  "  Thesaurus  Theo- 
logicus''  for  the  Clergy  and  Reading  Laity  of  the  Church 
of  England, 

It  consists  of  original  articles  on  all  the  important  Doc- 
trines of  TJieology,  and  on  other  questions  necessary  for  their 
further  illustration,  tJte  articles  being  carefully  written  with 
a  view  to  modern  thought,  as  well  as  a  respect  for  ancient 
authority. 

The  Dictionary  will  be  completed  in  two  parts. 


IConKon,  ©ifort,  anU  ©ambritrge 


26 


J«essrs.  mibington'a  i^cto  \Bublicat(ons 


NE  W  PAMPHLETS 

BY  THE  BISHOP  OF  ROCHESTER. 

A  Charge  delivered  to  the  Clergy  and  Chiirehwardens 

of  tlie  diocese  of  Rochester,  at  his  Primary  Visitation,  in  October  and 
November,  1869.    8vo.    6</. 

BY  THE  BISHOP  OF  ST.  DAVID'S. 

A    Charge  delivered  to   the  Clergy   of   the  dioeese 

of  St.  David's,  at  his  Tenth  Visitation,  October  and  November,  1869. 
With  an  Appendi.x,  containing  an  answer  to  the  question,  What  is  Transub- 
stantiation  ?    8vo.    2J.  6^. 

BY  THE  REV.  H.  P.  LIDDON. 

Life  in  Death:  a  Sermon,  preached  in  Salisbury 

Cathedral,  on  the  nth  Sunday  after  Trinity,  August  8,  1869,  being  the  day 
after  the  Funeral  of  Walter  Kerr  Hamilton,  D.D.,  Lord  Bishop  of  Salisbury. 
Scco7id  Edition.    8vo.     is. 

A  Sisters  Wo7'k:  a  Sermo7i,preaehed  ifi  substance 

at  All  Saints',  Margaret  Street,  on  the  Second  Sunday  after  Trinity,  1869. 
Second  Ediiicn.     8vo.     xs. 

Christ  and  Humafi  Law :  a  Sermon,  preached  be- 

fore  the  University,  the  Hon.  Mr.  Justice  Hannen,  and  the  Hon.  Mr.  Justice 
Keating,  Her  Majesty's  learned  Judges  of  Assize,  in  the  Church  of  St  Mary 
the  Virgin,  Oxford,  on  the  Third  Sunday  in  Lent,  February  28,  1869.  Second 
Edition.    With  a  Note  on  Divorce.    8vo.     rs. 

Christ  and  Education :  a  Sermon,  preached  at  St. 

James's,  Piccadilly,  on  the  Third  Sunday  after  Trinity,  1869.    8vo.     \s. 
BY  THE  REV.  R.  W.  BARNES. 

Three  Sermons,  preached  in  Exeter  Cathedral,  on  the 

7th,  8th,  and  9th  Sundays  after  Trimty,  July  nth,  i8th,  and  25th,  1869. 
Svo.     IS.  6d.  ^ 


ILon^fon,  ^xfortr,  antr  Cambridge 


jmwsrs.  ^ibington's  £LtiD  publications 


2: 


NE  W  PAMPHLETS 

BY  THE  REV.   LORD  ALWYNE  COMPTON. 

Suggestions  for  the  Preparation  of  a  Third  Service, 

for  u«c  on  Sundays  between  Morning  and  Evening  Prayer  :  a  Letter  to  the 
Rev.  R.  Seymour,  Rector  of  Kinwarton,  and  Proctor  in  Convocation  for  the 
diocese  of  Worcester.    8vo.     2^. 

BY  THE  REV.  C.  N.  GRAY. 

Statement  on   Confession,       With   full  Catena  of 

Anglican  Divines.     Third  Edition.    6d. 

BY  THE  REV.  JAMES  GERALD  JOYCE. 

Can  the  Liturgy  be  used  to  attach  the  People  to  the 

Church?  a  Paper,  read  before  the  Churchman's  Association  for  the;  Rural 
Deaneries  of  Andover,  Basingstoke,  and  Chilbolton.    Svo.     is. 

BY  THE  REV.  GEORGE  HENRY  SUMNER. 

Peace,  Christ's  Legacy  to  His  Church:  a  Sermon 

preached  in  Westminster  Abbey,  at  the  Consecration  of  the  Rev.  Ashton 
Oxenden,  D.D.,  to  the  Metropolitan  See  of  Montreal,  on  Sunday,  August  i, 
1869.    Svo    xs. 

BY  THE  REV.  G.  I.  PELLEW. 

A  Sermon,  preached  at  St.  Marys  Church,  Putney, 

in  the  Defence  of  the  Athanasian  Creed,  on  the  first  Sunday  after  Trinity, 
1869.     Svo.     (id. 

BY  THE  REV.  W.  E.  JELF. 

A  Review  of  Mariolatry,   Liturgical,   Devotional, 

Doctrinal,  as  exhibited  in  the  Offices,  the  Devotional  and  Dogmatic  Books, 
at  present  used  in  the  Romish  Communion.    Svo.     xs.  6d. 


The    Reformation    of    the    Chitrch    of    England 

[a.d.  1514— 1547].    A  Review,  Reprinted  by  Permission  from  the  "Times," 
of  February  27th  and  March  ist,  1869.    Second  Edition.    Svo.    6d. 


IConXion,  C^xfortr,  anXr  (S^ambritige 


\\ 


•I 


38 


J^ssrs.  Btbtngton^s  i^fio  ^ubUcattons 


Narji)  publishing  in  Eight  Volumes ^  crown  Svo,  price  ^^s.  each, 
A   NEW  AND   UNIFORM   EDITION   OF 

A    DEVOTIONAL   COMMENTARY 

ON   THE 

GOSPEL  NARRATIVE. 

BY  THE 

Rev.  ISAAC  WILLIAMS,  B.D. 

FORMERLY   FELLOW  OF  TRINITY  COLLEGE,   OXFORD. 

..  .  •  • 

OUR  LORD'S  NATIVITY. 


THE  BIRTH   AT   BETHLEHEM. 
THE  BAPTISM   IN  JORDAN. 


THE  FIRST  PASSOYER. 


\Ready. 


OUR  LORD'S  MINISTRY.     SECOND  YEAR. 


THE  SECOND   PASSOVER. 
CHRIST  WITH  THE  TWELVE. 


THE  TWELVE  SENT  FORTH. 


\Ready, 


OUR  LORD'S   MINISTRY.     THIRD  YEAR. 


TEACHING  IN  GALILEE. 
TEACHING  AT  JERUSALEM. 


LAST     JOURNEY     FROM     GALILEE     TO 
JERUSALEM. 

\Ready  January  15///. 


IContJon,  ©iforo,  anty  Cambrtogc 


JWessrs.  laifjmgton's  Jtcto  ^ublicatfons 


29 


JFor  "^Ccnt  ant»  €asttr. 
THE  HOLY  WEEK. 


THE  APPROACH  TO  JERUSALEM. 
THE  TEACHING  IN  THE  TEMPLE. 
THE    DISCOURSE    ON    THE    MOUNT    OF 
OLIVES. 


THE  LAST  SUPPER. 
INDEX  OF  TEXTS. 


\Ready  February  1st. 

jFor  ICcnt  anxr  €astcr. 
OUR  LORD'S   PASSION. 


THE  HOUR  OF  DARKNESS. 
THE  AGONY. 
THE  APPREHENSION. 
THE  CONDEMNATION. 


THE  DAY  OF  SORROWS. 
THE  HALL  OF  JUDGMENT. 
THE  CRUCIFIXION. 
THE  SEPULTURE. 

\Ready  February  l$th. 


jFor  'asctnsion=titfc. 
OUR  LORD'S   RESURRECTION. 


THE  DAY  OF  DAYS. 
THE  GRAVE  VISITED. 
CHRIST  APPEARING. 
THE  GOING  TO   EMMAUS. 
THE  FORTY   DAYS. 


THE  APOSTLES  ASSEMBLED. 
THE  LAKE  IN   GALILEE. 
THE  MOUNTAIN   IN   GALILEE. 
THE  RETURN   FROM   GALILEE. 


[I^eady  April  1st. 

lEntrotructorp  Uolume. 
THOUGHTS  on  the  STUDY  of  the  HOLY  GOSPELS. 


CHARACTERISTIC  DIFFERENCES  IN 
THE  FOUR  GOSPELS. 

OUR*  lord's  MANIFESTATIONS  OF 
HIMSELF. 

THE  RULE  OF  SCRIPTURAL  INTERPRE- 
TATION  FURNISHED   BY  OUR  LORD. 

ANALOGIES  OF  THE  GOSPEL. 


MENTION  OF  ANGELS  IN  THE  GOSPELS. 
PLACES    OF    OUR    LORD's    ABODE   AND 

MINISTRY. 
OUR  lord's  MODE  OF    DEALING  WITH 

HIS  APOSTLES. 
CONCLUSION. 
INDEX  OF  TEXTS. 


[I^eady  April  l^th. 

A  HARMONY  of  the  FOUR  EVANGELISTS. 

[/^eady  May  1st. 

IContion,  ^xfortr,  an^  CDambritrge 


3© 


jlHcssrs.  Btbington's  i^to  publications 


CATENA    CLASSICORUM, 


A  SERIES  OF  CLASSICAL  AUTHORS,    * 


EDITED     BY    MEMBERS    OF     BOTH     UNIVERSITIES     UNDER 

THE   DIRECTION    OF 


THE  REV.  ARTHUR  HOLMES,  ]\I.A. 


FELLOW  AND  LECTURER  OF  CLARE  COLLEGE,  CAMBRIDGE,  LECTURER  AND  LATE 

FELLOW  OF   ST.   JOHN'S  COLLEGE, 

AND 

THE  REV.  CHARLES  BIGG,  M.A. 

LATE  SENIOR  STUDENT   AND  TUTOR  OF  CHRIST  CHURCH,   OXFORD,   SECOND 
CLASSICAL  MASTER  OF  CHELTENHAM   COLLEGE. 


The  following  Parts  have  been  already  published:— 

SOPHOCLIS   TRAGOEDIAE, 
Eviited  by  R.  C.  Jebb,  M.A.  Fellow  and  Assistant  Tutor  of  Trinity 
College,  Cambridge. 
[Part  I.   The  Electra.    ^s.  6d.      Part  II.  The  Ajax.     3^.  6J, 

JUVENALIS   SATIRAE, 

Edited  by  G.  A.  SiMCOX,  M.A.  Fellow  and  Classical  Lecturer  of 
Queen's  College,  Oxford.  [Thirteen  Satires.    3J.  6(f, 


Tontron,  ©xfortJ,  antj  e^ambritjgc 


jmcssrs.  Bibington's  i^cto  ^abUcations 


.^« 


CATENA   CLASSICORUM— {Continued), 

THUCYDIDIS   HISTORIA, 

Edited  by  Charles  Bigg,  M.A.  late  Senior  Student  and  Tutor  of 
Christ  Church,  Oxford.  Second  Classical  Iklaster  of  Chelten- 
ham College. 

[Vol.  I.  Books  I.  and  II.  with  Introductions,  ds. 

DEMOSTHENIS  ORATIONES   PUBLICAE, 

Edited  by  G.  H.  Heslop,  M.A.  late  Fellow  and  Assistant  Tutor 
of  Queen's  College,  Oxford.    Head  Master  of  St.  Bees. 

[Parts  I.  &  II.     The  Olynthiacs  and  the  Philippics.     +?.  6./. 

ARISTOPHANIS   COMOEDIAE, 
Edited  by  W.  C.   Green,  M.A.  late  Fellow  of  King's  College, 
Cambridge.     Classical  Lecturer  at  Queens'  College. 

[Part  I.     The  Achamians  and  the  Knights.     4-f- 
[Part  II.     The  Clouds,    y.dd. 
[Part  III.     The  Wasps.     3^.  6./. 

ISOCRATIS  ORATIONES, 
Edited  by  John  Edwin  Sandys,  B.A.  Fellow  and  Lecturer  of 
St.  John's  College,  and  Lecturer  at  Jesus  College,  Cambridge. 
[Part  I.     Ad  Demonicum  et  Panegyricus.    4f.  6^'. 

A  PERSII  FLACCI  SATIRARUM  LIBER, 
Edited  by  A.  Pretor,   M.A.,  of  Trinity  College,    Cambridge, 
Classical  Lecturer  of  Trinity  Hall.     is.  dd. 


XontJon,  ^xforty,  an^  ©ambriUge 


32 


JWtssrs.  Bibington's  i^to  publications 


CATENA  CLASSICORUM. 
The  following  Parts  are  in  conrse  of  preparation:— 

PLATONIS   PHAEDO, 
Edited  by  Alfred  Barry,  D.  D.  late  Fellow  of  Trinity  College, 
Cambridge  ;  Principal  of  King's  College,  London. 

DEMOSTHENIS   ORATIONES   PUBLICAE, 
Edited  by  G.  H.  Heslop,  M.A.  late  Fellow  and  Assistant  Tutor 
of  Queen's  College,  Oxford  ;  Head  Master  of  St.  Bees. 

[Part  III.    De  Falsa  Legatione. 

MARTIALIS   EPIGRAMMATA, 
Edited  by  George  Butler,  M.A.  Principal  of  Liverpool  College  ; 
late  Fellow  of  Exeter  College,  Oxford. 

DEMOSTHENIS   ORATIONES   PRIVATAE, 

Edited  by  Arthur  Holmes,  M.A.  Fellow  and  Lecturer  of  Clare 
College,  Cambridge.  [Part  I.     De  Corona. 

HOMERI   ILIAS, 

Edited  by  S.  H.  Reynolds,  M.A.  Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Brasenose 
College,  Oxford.  [Vol.  I.  Books  I.  to  XII. 

HORATI  OPERA, 
Edited  by  J.  M.  Marshall,  M.A.  Fellow  and  late  Lecturer  of 
Brasenose  College,   Oxford ;  one  of  the  Masters  in  Clifton 
College. 

TERENTI    COMOEDIAE, 
Edited  by  T.  L.  Papillon,  M.A.  Fellow  and  Classical  Lecturer  of 
Merton  College,  Oxford.  [Part  I.  Andria  et  Eunuchus. 

HERODOTI   HISTORIA, 
Edited  by  H.   G.  Woods,   M.A.    Fellow  and  Tutor  of  Trinity 
College,  Oxford. 

TACITI   HISTORIAE, 
Edited  by  W.  H.  SiMCOX,  M.A.  Fellow  and  Lecturer  of  Queen's 
College,  Oxford. 

OVIDI  TRISTIA, 
Edited  by  Oscar  Browning,   M.A.  Fellow  of  King's  College, 
Cambridge  ;  and  Assistant  Master  at  Eton  College. 

CICERONIS  ORATIONES, 
Edited  by  Charles  Edward  Graves,  M.A.   Classical  Lecturer 
and  late  Fellow  of  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge. 

[Part  I.  Pro  P.  Sextio. 
THEOPHRASTI  CHARACTERES, 
Edited  by  A.    Pretor,    M.A.    of  Trinity  College,    Cambridge; 
Classical  Lecturer  of  Trinity  Hall. 


viV 


DUE  DATE 


935.4 
R66 


COLUMBIA  UNIVERSITY  LIBRARIES 


0023939346 


% 


Printed 
in  USA 


APR  2  :    1358 


in  >o 


NMMMMaMMi 


mmmm^mm 


